Articulosis- The 100th Hunger Games SYOT Closed
by Mystical Pine Forest
Summary: Imagine that Katniss didn't volunteer for Prim. That Prim and Peeta died in the bloodbath. That the rebellion never happened. This is the 100th Hunger Games. SYOT CLOSED! (ON HIATUS)
1. Chapter 1: Prolouge

Hey guys! So this is my first SYOT, hope you enjoy! Rules and form are at the bottom.

President Snow, wrinkled with age, stepped up to the platform. The audience roared as his little granddaughter, Amabel, followed behind.

"For the 100th Hunger Games and 4th Quarter Quell, the male and female tributes from each district shall not have any interaction with one another until the Games begin. There will be separate Reapings, chariot rides, interviews, and training days. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

Rules:

No resubmitted tributes.

No Mary Sues or Gary Stus.

Fill out every part of the form, I might end up needing them!

No reserving!

Submit through PM and only through PM.

This is not a first come first serve kind of SYOT, I'll go through all the tributes and choose the best ones.

I'm going to need at least 8 bloodbath tributes. If I don't get that, well, you're in for a surprise. ;)

You can submit 2 tributes, 1 male and 1 female.

Form:

GENERAL INFO

Name:

Age:

District:

Gender:

APPEARANCE

Hair color:

Hair style:

Hair length:

Skin color:

Eye color:

OTHER:

Personality:

Backstory:

Family and Friends:

Reaped/Volunteered?:

Reaction/Reasoning?:

Hobbies:

Weapon of choice:

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

PRE GAMES

Chariot costume:

Interview outfit:

Interview angle:

Training strategy:

Training score:

ARENA

Allies?:

Survive bloodbath or no?:

Preferred death:

Anything I forgot?:

That's it! Submit a tribute and have fun!

-Pine


	2. Chapter 2: Kamata

Hello everyone, so today I have something special for you! It's the first Reaping! Enjoy! The tribute list is also at the bottom.

Question for you all: Do you want a sponsor system or no?

Kamata Pavara, D5F. Age 17.  
I am awakened by the sound of birds chirping. I yawn and stretch, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I stand up and look around.  
Then I realize what day it is.  
It's reaping day. The day the Capitol chooses a boy and a girl from each district to fight to the death in an ultimate "pageant of honor and glory". Yeah, right. This is just the day when 23 kids are chosen to die.  
Living in district five, I've never been too hungry or poor. I've never really needed to take out tesserae, and therefore I only have six slips in the bowl. Six slips, all with "Kamata Pavara" written on them in fancy, curly script. Six chances at death.  
A couple months ago, when President Snow announced the Quarter Quell, I was so scared. I hate surprises, and if I was chosen, that would be the worst surprise of my life.  
Except for Milo.  
Three years ago, my big brother went insane after seeing the murder of his girlfriend, Ambrosia. She had been caught out after curfew. Ambrosia was taken into custody and given a false sense of hope. She was fed well, allowed a visitor or two, and given a nice place to sleep. But the next morning, Ambrosia was dragged out into the square and publicly shot, just as Milo and I were walking to school.  
Just thinking about Milo and Ambrosia made my stomach churn. Ambrosia had been such a nice kid, only fifteen. My older brother had truly loved her, and when he witnessed her death, he went insane.  
Helpless, my mom and dad tried to persuade Milo back to sanity. But it was to no avail. Milo was gone. Dad took him to the doctor, who said that we should take Milo to the asylum. So we did.  
The asylum was a terrible place. The people there were treated horribly. They were beaten, underfed, worked to the point of fainting and when they were no longer fit for work, poisoned.  
It pained me so much to think that my caring elder brother would be there for the rest of his life. I vowed to never be like the employees at the asylum. I vowed to never hurt anyone's feelings. Never to hurt anyone in any way.  
I could never kill anyone. Ever. The reapings aways scared me to the point of desperation, but so far I had never gotten picked.  
I've gotten lucky. But luck always runs out. I'm just hoping that it won't be today.  
I put on a yellow dress and pull my blond hair back into a low ponytail. I slip on my shoes, then head downstairs. I grab an apple, leave a note for my parents and walk out the door.  
This year's reapings are going to be different. The boys had their reapings yesterday, and now it's time for the girls. Per President Snow's orders, the reapings in each district shall be held over a span of two days. They will be televised to the Capitol but not to the Districts. The boy who was reaped yesterday is unbeknownst to the district.  
When I reach the square, the peacekeepers line up to take everyone's blood. When it's my turn I hold out my arm. The man pricks my finger and I walk to the seventeen-year-old section.  
After the boring video which we could probably all recite by heart, The escort, Bubble, reaches into the bowl. She pulls out a slip and reads the name.  
"Kamata Pavara! Come on up, young lady!"  
No. Nonononono. I can't do this! I can't hurt anyone, much less kill them!  
The peacekeepers are closing in on me. I step out of the fenced off area and walk upstage with my head slightly bowed.  
"Oh, I would kill to have hair like you, darling!" Bubble remarks. I just stare at her. "Please welcome District Five's newest female tribute. Kamata Pavara, everyone!"

Thanks to Mint Writer Presents for Kamata!

Tribute List:  
D1:

M

F

D2:

M

F

D3:

M

F

D4:

M

F

D5:

M

F Kamata Pavara, 17 (MintWriterPresents)

D6:

M

F

D7:

M

F

D8:

M

F

D9:

M

F

D10:

M

F

D11:

M Dyson Summers, 15 (MintWriterPresents)

F

D12:

M

F

Have a great day, everyone!

-Pine


	3. Chapter 3: Julianna

Chapter 3

 **Hey guys! This is D2's female tribute, Julianna Cobbley. Enjoy!**

 _Julianna Cobbley, D2. Age 17_

My mom was in the Hunger Games. She won. My dad was in the Hunger Games. He lost. I plan to be in the Hunger Games. I plan to win. I plan to be better than my father. I plan to be rich and famous, to live with my mother in the Victor's Village. I plan to volunteer.

My name is Julianna Cobbley and I am the best in Panem.

I am seventeen years old. Today is the day. The infamous reaping day. The day the weaklings from the outer districts fear, and I love. Today is the day I volunteer.

I don't have any memories of my dad. To be honest, I really don't care, either. My dad was a weakling. He only killed three people in his Games, and they were the three youngest. The weakest.

My mom, on the other hand. She killed seven. Three of the seven were strong, I'll give them that. But no matter, they're all dead now.

I have trained for this day my whole life.

I get out of bed, smiling brightly. I grab a pair of shoes and a pretty purple dress. I pull my brown hair up into a bun and tie it with a white ribbon.

I slip on my black pumps and walk downstairs. I pick out an orange, fresh from district eleven. As I peel the orange, I call my mom.

She walks downstairs. "Oh honey, you're volunteering today, I expect?"

"Of course, mother. I'm only the best of the best."

"Run along then, wouldn't want to be late!"

I give my mom a quick hug and walk out the door. We live only a couple hundred feet from town square, and so I can tell the reaping is about to begin. I hold out my finger and feel a prick, then walk to the seventeen year old pen. The boys had their reaping yesterday, and now it's my time to shine!

The escort, Dot, reaches into the bowl for a girl's name. "Faye-"

"I volunteer!" I yell along with about fifty other girls. I pick up the skirt of my dress and run up to the stage. I make it there first, thank goodness. The escort reaches to help me up, but I shrug her off.

"And may I ask your name young lady?"

"My name is Julianna Cobbley, daughter of Christina Cobbley and the next victor of the Hunger Games!"

"Well, well! Certainly confident, aren't we?"

I just stand with my head held high, proud.

This is going to be the best three weeks ever.

 **Thanks to Ligitnarz for Julianna!**

 **Updated tribute list:**

 **D1:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D2:**

 **M**

 **F Julianna Cobbley, 17 (Ligitnarz)**

 **D3:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D4:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D5:**

 **M Jordan Clarke, 16 (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)**

 **F Kamata Pavara, 17 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **D6:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D7:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D8:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D9:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D10:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D11:**

 **M Dyson Summers, 15 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **F**

 **D12:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **Have a great day, everyone!**

 **-Pine**


	4. Chapter 4: Ashlynn

Chapter 4

 **Hey guys! Sorry for the late upload. But here I am! This is Ashlynn Sheah, District Four's newest female tribute!**

 _Ashlynn Sheah, D4. Age 13_

"Ashlynn Sheah!"

I awaken in a cold sweat. My light brown hair is plastered to my back and I am breathing heavy.

The nightmare again. Ugh.

In District Four, not many people are afraid of this day. Some even look forward to it. I am one of the select few who does.

The Reaping. Aged thirteen, I have only been to one reaping, and I got lucky. I was not picked.

My fear is doubled today though. Not only is my name in twice as many times, but it is also a Quarter Quell. This "special event" happens every twenty-five years. I was just lucky enough to be eligible for one of them.

I look over at my clock and see that it is almost seven. I should probably get up and get ready for the reapings. I sigh and roll out of bed. Yawning, I pull on a pair of leggings and a blouse. I slip a pair of boots on my feet and walk down the stairs.

"Ashlynn Sheah, what are you wearing?! Go put on a skirt!" Mom yells.

I sigh heavily. "Why, mom? It's not like I'm going to get picked anyway!"

"Just put one on, please!"

I groan and walk back up the stairs. I hate dresses. Skirts are slightly better, but still bad. I grab a white skirt to contrast my black leggings and go back downstairs. I hug my mom and leave for the reapings.

When I get there, the escort, Martina, is already upstage. I let the peacekeeper prick my finger and hurry to the thirteen-year-old pen.

Just as I arrive, Martina begins her speech. I tune out and daydream about becoming a sailor.

Then I hear my name.

I see spots and almost faint as I begin my walk to the stage. I step up the stairs and Martina reaches down to help me.

"Are there any volunteers?" she asks. No one steps forward. I begin to hyperventilate. I am steaming mad and about to boil over. Why didn't anyone volunteer?! Ugh. Oh well, too late now. Martina closes the reaping and I am whisked away into the Justice Building.

 **Thanks to R.M. Hunter for Ashlynn!**

 **Updated tribute list:**

 **D1:**

 **M**

 **F Gem Vanderpike, 18 (AstrisDreams)**

 **D2:**

 **M**

 **F Julianna Cobbley, 17 (Ligitnarz)**

 **D3:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D4:**

 **M**

 **F Ashlynn Sheah, 13 (R.M. Hunter)**

 **D5:**

 **M Jordan Clarke, 16 (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)**

 **F Kamata Pavara, 17 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **D6:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D7:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D8:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D9:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D10:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D11:**

 **M Dyson Summers, 15 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **F**

 **D12:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **-Pine**


	5. Chapter 5: Fable

Chapter 5

Hey guys! This is Fable Tanner, Ten's newest female tribute! Sorry it's kinda short, I'm leaving soon and didn't wanna delay it any more...

Why?

Why me?

I'm only twelve. I don't have a chance here. I'm gonna die. I stroke the velvet chair. It's so pretty... Just like Mama's hair.

Mama rushes in, Marsh and Papa in tow.

"Fable, you can do this. Don't go to the cornucopia, okay? You can make a spear or something. You're smart. Just- come back to us, okay?" Mama says.

Papa and I hug and Marsh just cries.

"Time's up." a peacekeeper walks in. He grabs Papa and Marsh, one hand on each shoulder. Mama and I embrace one last time, and she grabs my hand as a peacekeeper pulls her away.

I take one last glance at my family and start to weep uncontrollably. The door closes and I hang my head.

Five minutes later, the door opens again. My friends Mirabelle, Gina, and Simon enter the room.

"Mira! Gi! Simon!" I yelp. I quickly rush over to Mira and give her a hug. Gina's next. I embrace her, and she whispers in my ear, "Fable. You can do it."

Simon walks up to me. I kneel down to his height and he embraces me.

Mira thrusts out a yellow locket. "For your token," she says. I recognize the locket as a family heirloom in Simon and Mira's family.

"I can't take this!" I exclaim.

"My mama said to give it to you," Mira says. Simon nods.

Reluctantly, I take the necklace.

A peacekeeper comes in. "Time," he says gruffly. I give Gina one last hug, and Mira and Simon a kiss on the head. The door closes, and with it my life disappears.

Thanks to On the Tide for Fable!

Updated tribute list:

D1:

M

F Gem Vanderpike, 18 (AstrisDreams)

D2:

M

F Julianna Cobbley, 17 (Ligitnarz)

D3:

M

F

D4:

M

F Ashlynn Sheah, 13 (R.M. Hunter)

D5:

M Jordan Clarke, 16 (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)

F Kamata Pavara, 17 (MintWriterPresents)

D6:

M

F

D7:

M

F Forest Rivertree, 15 (XxLittleXxXMockingjayXx)

D8:

M Caddis Tweed, 17 (On the Tide)

F

D9:

M

F

D10:

M

F Fable Tanner, 12 (On the Tide)

D11:

M Dyson Summers, 15 (MintWriterPresents)

F

D12:

M Ash Grey, 17 (ilovefinnick)

F

-Pine


	6. Chapter 6: Jordan

Chapter 6: Jordan

 _Jordan Clarke, D5. Age 16_

I am ushered into the Justice Building by a pair of peacekeepers. They open the door and push me inside.

I take a seat on the soft velvet chair. It's green, my favorite color.

I'm so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I don't hear the door open. In walks my dad.

"Hey son," he says. I nod, acknowledging him. I hate my dad. He's a thief, and after Mom left, he's gotten meaner. He drags me along on his "adventures", stealing food and other things from the stalls at the market downtown. After the food has been stolen, we have to alter its appearance slightly. Then Dad sells it on the black market here in Five.

I don't take pride in being a thief, but it keeps us from starving.

He hands me a small medallion. It's gold and has a small hole at the top, and instantly I know that it was stolen. How else would Dad get his hands on it?

I push it back at him. I simply don't want it. I don't want any reminders of home, and especially not of Dad.

"No thanks," I say.

Dad simply shakes his head. "I want you to know I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen to you."

"But it did. And now-"

"Now what? Now I just sit back and watch my son die?" he asks, throwing his hands in the air.

"Exactly. Dad, there's no friggin way I'm getting out of there alive. I'm not strong, or good with a weapon, or-"

"But you're smart. You're stealthy. You're cunning."

"Dad, just accept that your 'partner in crime' isn't coming back. Maybe it's for the better." I reply, exasperated.

"Time," the peacekeeper says, opening the door. I wave my dad out, but not before he can wrench out an "I love you, Jordan!"

No. He doesn't.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

My last few moments in the Justice Building were spent thinking about the Reaping. I have no friends, and am known to be a thief, so the district was probably perfectly happy to let me go.

Honestly, I am perfectly happy to go.

I wonder what my fellow tributes will be like. I don't get to meet any of the girls, and to be honest, I don't want to.

But the boys.

I remember stories of this one year, the year before a Quarter Quell, when this little girl was chosen from District Twelve. She was a pitiful little thing, starved half to death, and of course she died in the bloodbath.

But her district partner.

He died in the bloodbath too, I remember being told, valiantly giving his life so the sister of his lifelong crush could live a bit longer.

Yes. The boy loved the girl's big sister.

President Snow apparently thought that this could happen again. So he separated us tributes, trying to make sure we could never even find out the other's name. He, like always, has succeeded.

I am brought back to reality by the sound of a peacekeeper's voice. "Come, boy."

I walk to the man and am escorted to the train. I look out the window and take one last glance at the District where I have lived all my life. The home I shall never see again.

 **Hey guys! I hope you're excited for the update! Mrrrgh the ending is crappy though.. Thanks to WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper for Jordan! Go check out his stories :D I have a couple tributes in his amazing SYOT, Ruins of Time.**

 **Thanks for putting up with my crappy writing... And my slow updates... And me. But yeah. Have an awesome day!**

 **Updated Tribute List:**

 **D1:**

 **M**

 **F Gem Vanderpike, 18 (AstrisDreams)**

 **D2:**

 **M**

 **F Julianna Cobbley, 17 (Ligitnarz)**

 **D3:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D4:**

 **M Meris Pisces, 18 (EverlastingImpression)**

 **F Ashlynn Sheah, 13 (R.M. Hunter)**

 **D5:**

 **M Jordan Clarke, 16 (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)**

 **F Kamata Pavara, 17 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **D6:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D7:**

 **M Benedikt "Ben" Blackwood, 17 (TheGreenMockingjay)**

 **F Forest Rivertree, 15 (XxLittleXxXMockingjayXx)**

 **D8:**

 **M Caddis Tweed, 17 (On the Tide)**

 **F Lacie Ashdale, 16 (SummerWillowSkye)**

 **D9:**

 **M**

 **F Barley Moon, 14 (EverlastingImpression)**

 **D10:**

 **M**

 **F Fable Tanner, 12 (On the Tide)**

 **D11:**

 **M Dyson Summers, 15 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **F**

 **D12:**

 **M Ash Grey, 17 (The Tributes From Two)**

 **F Rose Aster, 16 (catnip851)**

 **-Pine**


	7. Chapter 7: Caddis

Chapter 7

Hey guys! I'm sorry I didn't update the story yesterday, I was on vacation on the Coast. But here I am! I'm going to try and update twice a week now. :D School does start in two weeks though, so after that, I might not update as much :( but here's Caddis Tweed, Eight's male tribute!

Caddis Tweed, D8. Age 17

I take a seat on the green velvet chair. I was just reaped for the Games. My reaping went relatively well, I was shocked but quickly got over it.

The heavy door opens and a Peacekeeper shoves my family inside. Argyle, then Mom, then Dad, Paisley, and finally Velvet are pushed inside.

"Five minutes." The Peacekeeper says gruffly. He shuts the door.

Argyle is the first to speak. "Caddis, you can do it, you're coming back. My gosh, I'm gonna strangle the Capitol, those pigs!"

Velvet is next. "Caddis, I'm sorry this happened. You gotta be strong, okay?"

Paisley, the poor dear, is just crying her eyes out. She's only fourteen, and worries about everything. "What if Caddis dies? What if-"

"Don't say that!" Dad growls. Mom nods.

"Paisley," I say. "Paisley, look at me. It's gonna be okay. Even if I don't come back, okay? Be strong for me." I kiss her head and pull her into a hug. Mom wraps her arms around us, and Dad, Velvet and Argyle join in.

"Time's up!" the Peacekeeper says. He beckons for his fellow Peacekeepers to come in. They pry us apart and herd my family out the door. I stare as they go, trying to imprint an image of them in my mind.

Soon enough, the door opens again. Palus Combs, my best and only friend, walks in. He presses a coin into my hand. I look down at my feet.

"Hey man," Palus says.

"Hey." I reply. "Where'd you get this?"

"Ma gave it to me. It's from before the Dark Days."

I nod. "Keep Paisley sane, okay?"

"Yep." he replies. "Caddis?"

I look up. "Yeah?"

"I...I think you're awesome. I'm gonna miss you." he says.

I nod. If I say anything, I'll just choke up.

The Peacekeeper walks in. He beckons for Palus, who follows him out the door. I give a slight wave.

"Bye, Palus."

I look down at the coin. It's a pretty copper color, and has words and a face on it. I have no idea who the face is, but I read the words.

"In God we trust," I read. I pocket the old coin and stand up.

I'm ready.

 **Thanks to On the Tide for Caddis!**

 **I'll try and update before the 15th.**

 **Also, a message to Annabeth13 Chase: I like your tribute, and would like to accept him, but I can't unless you PM him to me. If I get a PM, he will be accepted unless someone else takes his spot. Otherwise, I can't accept him.**

 **Updated tribute list:**

 **Career spots left: 2 (1m, 2m)**

 **Outlying spots left: 7 (3m, 3f, 6m, 6f, 9m, 10m, 11f)**

 **Female spots left: 3 (3, 6, 11)**

 **Male spots left: 6 (1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10)**

 **Spots left: 9 (1m, 2m, 3m, 3f, 6m, 6f, 9m, 10m, 11f)**

 **D1:**

 **M**

 **F Gem Vanderpike, 18 (AstrisDreams)**

 **D2:**

 **M**

 **F Julianna Cobbley, 17 (Ligitnarz)**

 **D3:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D4:**

 **M Meris Pisces, 18 (EverlastingImpression)**

 **F Ashlynn Sheah, 13 (R.M. Hunter)**

 **D5:**

 **M Jordan Clarke, 16 (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)**

 **F Kamata Pavara, 17 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **D6:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D7:**

 **M Benedikt "Ben" Blackwood, 17 (TheGreenMockingjay)**

 **F Forest Rivertree, 15 (XxLittleXxXMockingjayXx)**

 **D8:**

 **M Caddis Tweed, 17 (On the Tide)**

 **F Lacie Ashdale, 16 (SummerWillowSkye)**

 **D9:**

 **M**

 **F Barley Moon, 14 (EverlastingImpression)**

 **D10:**

 **M**

 **F Fable Tanner, 12 (On the Tide)**

 **D11:**

 **M Dyson Summers, 15 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **F**

 **D12:**

 **M Ash Grey, 17 (The Tributes From Two)**

 **F Rose Aster, 16 (catnip851)**

 **-Pine**


	8. Chapter 8: Update

Update

 **Okay, screw this. I'm not getting enough submissions, so:**

 **New rules:**

 **You may submit THREE tributes. However, at LEAST ONE** ** _must_** **be a bloodbath.**

 **Guests and people who don't have PM enabled MAY join through reviews. This means that Annabeth13 Chase, your tribute is OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED.**

 **Please keep in mind that boys and girls from each district have no clue as to who the other gender's tributes are. Boys have no information about any of the girls, and vice versa.**

A tidbit of poetry just to make this legal:

Lily pads atop

My sparkling waters, open

To all, man and beast.

This is a haiku I wrote in fourth grade. Hope it's not too terrible. :D

 **Updated tribute list:**

 **Career spots left: 2 (1m, 2m)**

 **Outlying spots left: 5 (3m, 6m, 6f, 9m, 11f)**

 **Female spots left: 2 (6, 11)**

 **Male spots left: 5 (1, 2, 3, 6, 9)**

 **Spots left: 7 (1m, 2m, 3m, 6m, 6f, 9m, 11f)**

 **D1:**

 **M**

 **F Gem Vanderpike, 18 (AstrisDreams)**

 **D2:**

 **M**

 **F Julianna Cobbley, 17 (Ligitnarz)**

 **D3:**

 **M**

 **F Triode Panem, 12 (erburnham02)**

 **D4:**

 **M Meris Pisces, 18 (EverlastingImpression)**

 **F Ashlynn Sheah, 13 (R.M. Hunter)**

 **D5:**

 **M Jordan Clarke, 16 (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)**

 **F Kamata Pavara, 17 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **D6:**

 **M**

 **F**

 **D7:**

 **M Benedikt "Ben" Blackwood, 17 (TheGreenMockingjay)**

 **F Forest Rivertree, 15 (XxLittleXxXMockingjayXx)**

 **D8:**

 **M Caddis Tweed, 17 (On the Tide)**

 **F Lacie Ashdale, 16 (SummerWillowSkye)**

 **D9:**

 **M**

 **F Barley Moon, 14 (EverlastingImpression)**

 **D10:**

 **M Ray Slater, 13 (Annabeth13 Chase)**

 **F Fable Tanner, 12 (On the Tide)**

 **D11:**

 **M Dyson Summers, 15 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **F**

 **D12:**

 **M Ash Grey, 17 (The Tributes From Two)**

 **F Rose Aster, 16 (catnip851)**

 **-Pine**


	9. Chapter 9: Dyson

Chapter Nine

 **Hello guys, I'm back! Nothing much to say, just be sure to read the update in chapter eight. It's got some important info :D Without further ado, here's Dyson Summers, 11's male tribute!**

 _Dyson Summers, D11. Age 15_

I am pushed into a fancy room, with a couple green chairs and a black couch. I sit down tentatively on a chair.

Not five minutes later, a Peacekeeper enters the room, with my girlfriend, Isabella, crying behind him. Isabella rushes into the room and I stand up.

She races towards my open arms, and I hug her tight to me. She sobs into my shirt, soaking it, but I don't care. I reach down and caress her black hair. She pulls apart.

"Issy, look at me." I say.

She turns her head towards me. "Wh-why was it you? You had n-no tesserae!"

"Issy, it's okay. Shhh, shhh... I'll be fine. I'm gonna be okay." I soothe her.

"No! No, you're not. You're gonna d-die and leave me h-here alone!"

I pick her up into another hug.

"Shhh, shhh... everything is gonna be all right, Issy. You'll be okay."

The Peacekeeper comes back in and pulls us apart, which makes poor Isabella scream.

"No, no, no! DYSON!" she yells as she's dragged out. I sit back down and put my head in my hands.

A while later, my mom and dad rush in.

"Mom. Dad." I say.

"Dys! You have to win!" Mom cries.

"I'll try, Mom."

Dad replies, "No try. Only do! Dyson, you'll be fine!"

I know he's just trying to make me feel better. I'm gonna be dead within a couple weeks.

"Dad..." I say. "The only thing that's gonna help me is that I fight. That's my only advantage."

I am a street fighter, so I'm pretty strong. I fight in the streets and try to make a bit of money for Issy and my parents.

"And it's a mighty big one," Dad says.

The Peacekeeper walks in. Motioning to the clock, he pulls my parents away.

"I love you!" I yell after them.

After they're gone, the Peacekeeper comes back in. He grabs my wrist and pulls me out the door. I take one last look at District Eleven, and step onto the train.

 **Thanks to Mint Writer Presents for Dyson!**

 **The tentative date of the next update is:**

 **August 20th.**

 **Final Tribute List:**

 **D1:**

 **M Wonder Marquise, 16 (OddOrb)**

 **F Gem Vanderpike, 18 (AstrisDreams)**

 **D2:**

 **M Leif Gemmite, 18 (OddOrb)**

 **F Julianna Cobbley, 17 (Ligitnarz)**

 **D3:**

 **M Cobalt Days, 17 (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)**

 **F Triode Panem, 12 (erburnham03)**

 **D4:**

 **M Meris Pisces, 18 (EverlastingImpression)**

 **F Ashlynn Sheah, 13 (R.M. Hunter)**

 **D5:**

 **M Jordan Clarke, 16 (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)**

 **F Kamata Pavara, 17 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **D6:**

 **M Chris Pine, 12 (catnip851)**

 **F Ali Wheel, 18 (Me)**

 **D7:**

 **M Benedikt "Ben" Blackwood, 17 (TheGreenMockingjay)**

 **F Forest Rivertree, 15 (XxLittleXxXMockingjayXx)**

 **D8:**

 **M Caddis Tweed, 17 (On the Tide)**

 **F Lacie Ashdale, 16 (SummerWillowSkye)**

 **D9:**

 **M Wheatley Farking, 16 (Me)**

 **F Barley Moon, 14 (EverlastingImpression)**

 **D10:**

 **M Ray Slater, 13 (Annabeth13 Chase)**

 **F Fable Tanner, 12 (On the Tide)**

 **D11:**

 **M Dyson Summers, 15 (MintWriterPresents)**

 **F Angel Ravenwood, 14 ( 20)**

 **D12:**

 **M Ash Grey, 17 (The Tributes From Two)**

 **F Rose Aster, 16 (catnip851)**

 **-Pine**


	10. Chapter 10: Girls' Chariots

Chapter Ten

 _Barley Moon, D9. Age 14_

My prep team bustles around me, carrying various gadgets. Pink lady holds something that looks like a pair of scissors, but it has some weird piece of metal on the end. Blue man, an actual pair of scissors. Yellow lady carries a tin of wax.

"Oh, Barley, hon, your hair is so long and luscious! Beautiful!" Pink lady chirps, bringing the strange scissor-like device toward my eyes.

"Hey, what are you gonna do now?" I ask, pushing pink lady's arm away.

"Oh, Barley, I'm just going to curl your lashes! Nothing to worry about!" she squeals.

I relax, but only for a moment. Pink lady brings the scissor-gadget to my eye. I close my eyes and clench my teeth. It's really cold, and I flinch. Pink lady doesn't notice and keeps "curling my eyelashes".

Yellow lady puts some wax on my bare leg. "Barley, hold still. You're just so hairy!" she chirps. She rips the wax off my leg, and my eyes widen. I give a yell, and bite my lip. She applies wax to my other leg and rips it off. I bite my lip again, but a small moan comes out.

The door opens, and a man who I'm assuming is my stylist comes in. He's carrying a white bag with a dress in it.

"Hello, Barley. I'm Zeruca, your stylist."

I give a respectful nod. My prep team motion for me to sit up, and hand me a robe. Gratefully, I put it on.

"This is the dress you'll be wearing," Zeruca says. He pulls a beautiful floor length, sleeveless dress from the bag I reach out and touch the dress. It's made of grain!

"It's beautiful!" I gasp.

"Close your eyes," Pink lady chirps. I comply, and feel the fabric of the robe being lifted up and over my head. The heavy silk of the dress is slipped onto me.

I open my eyes, and am astonished by the girl in the mirror. Long curly brown hair with a reddish tint, green-brown eyes that pop from my face, slightly dark pimple-less skin.

And the dress. Oh, the dress.

Long and sleeveless, the silk hugs my chest and gives me curves. The skirt billows out from my legs, grain covering the silky fabric. The golden grain-bits dust the top of the bodice, giving it a fancy look.

I am jolted back to the present by my stylist.

"Try these shoes, Barley," he says, holding out a pair of gold-colored strappy sandals. I nod, and take them out of his hands. Bending down, I slip my feet into them. They fit perfectly, and I say so.

"They're custom made," Zecora says.

Buckling them up, I nod.

My stylist grabs my hand and strides toward the door where I know the chariots will be. I follow.

I take a deep breath and open the door to the room.

 _Lacie Ashdale, D8. Age 16_

The door opens and the girl from District Nine- Barley?- walks in. She looks a heck of a lot better than me.

I'm wearing a monstrosity. A neon, multi-colored patchwork dress. Obviously, I got a bad stylist.

Barley, on the other hand, looks simply gorgeous in a golden gown covered in grain. Her long auburn hair cascades to her lower back. She's too pretty. We're gonna have to change that.

I stride up to Barley and almost barf. The girl is obviously wearing at least a pound of makeup.

"Hey Barley babe," I say

"Um, who are you?" Barley asks.

I chuckle knowingly. "Your worst nightmare,"

She shudders. "Get away from me, creep!"

I giggle, shaking my head. Then I put a mean expression on.

"Girl, how much makeup are you _wearing_?" I say, in sassy tone.

"Ask my stylist," she replies. "It wasn't my choice!"

I barf in my mouth a little. Her _stylist_?

How old is this kid? She should have asked all the makeup questions; what brand, how much, what color?

"Well, you're gonna have to excuse me, I've gotta go barf. Yeah. Barf. Your dress is ugly, kid!"

Laughing inside my head, I stride away confidently. I bump into a girl- she looks young, and like she's from a poorer district.

"Hey! Look out, kid," I say. "You crashed into me and messed up my _perfect_ hair!"

The girl whimpers and scampers away. Easy killings. I'm no career, but I want to go home. And to get home, 23 other kids are gonna die. So I'm marking this kid as an easy kill now.

 _Gem Vanderpike, D1. Age 18._

"Yeah, the girl from Ten's gonna be eaaasy," I say.

Julianna nods. "As is Ashlynn, from four. I hope her district partner's better than her."

" _Tributes, to your chariots,"_ I hear an automated voice say. I smile and wave goodbye to Julianna.

She waves back and mounts her own chariot. I stride away from our meeting spot and toward the chariot labeled "D1F".

I get on and look over at my stylist. He gives me a thumbs up. I smile back.

The anthem plays, and I am jolted backwards as the chariot rolls forward.

I go out first. Dressed in a gold spaghetti-strap gown that touches the floor, I wave and beam at the crowd. The screams are deafening, but I keep on a smile. The crowd loves me!

Next out is Julianna, my only established ally as of now. She looks amazing in a skimpy gladiator suit and is carrying a shield. Her long brown hair is pulled back into a bun and she's wearing a crown. The crowd goes wild! They love her!

Third comes the girl from Three. Triode? I don't even know. She's dressed in a chainmail tunic and a short black skirt, and her messy black hair is pulled back. The tunic is giving off... sparks!

Next up is Ashlynn Sheah, the weakling from Four. She wears a sailor's outfit- a skimpy skirt and leggings, a sailors' tunic and that weird white hat that captains wear.

I jolt to a stop. My ride is over.

Then I watch as Kamata from District Five comes out. She looks good in a brilliant glowing dress, it's the color of a lightbulb. Her blonde hair is in a braid down her shoulder.

Next is Ali Wheel, from District Six. She wears a conductor's uniform. Typical. She looks okay.

Forest, District Seven. She actually looks pretty, her long brown hair cascading down her back. She wears a tan dress with a bunch of leaves on the sleeves and the hem.

Lacie, from Eight. Probably the worst costume so far. She wears this ugly, clashing pink-and-orange dress. I can't even stand to look.

Barley, from Nine. She looks actually really elegant, in a beautiful gold silk gown and- is that grain?- all over. Her brown hair falls in loose curls down her back.

Fable, District Ten. The classic cowgirl. Ten hasn't worn anything else in years.

From Eleven, Angel- silly name!- comes out. Dressed in an ice-blue dress, she actually looks pretty nice.

Rose Aster comes out. l take one look and avert my head. She's _naked_ and covered in _coal dust_! Twelve must have terrible stylists!

President Snow comes out, makes his speech- I don't listen- and goes away. Then we all dismount our chariots. I have a long week ahead of me, and boy, am I tired.

 **Hey guys! Thank you to EverlastingImpression, SummerWillowSkye, and AstrisDreams for these ones!**

 **Have a great day!**

 **-Pine**


	11. Chapter 11: Boys' Training Day 1

Chapter 11

 **Hey guys! I'm so sorry for the long wait- school started and my parents left for California, so I'm at my friend's house typing this on my phone. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

 _Wonder Marquise, D1. Age 16_

 _Shhhhh... Thunk._

The arrow hits the target, right in the center.

 _Shhhhh... Thunk._

Another bulls-eye.

 _Shhhhh... Thunk._

Another.

I raise my bow, ready to shoot, before I notice there's no more targets. I chuckle to myself. Looking down the row of targets, I smile, pleased.

Before I volunteered, I'd never handled a bow before. In fact, the only weapon I'd ever used was a common kitchen knife. But here in the training center, I found I am quite decent at archery.

I haven't visited any of the stations besides the mandatory survival ones and the archery station. Now I'm getting bulls-eyes almost every shot I make.

Leif, the boy from Two, saunters across the room, the boy from Four in tow. I watch as they walk towards the front of the row of targets. Whispering to each other, they look down the aisle at me.

They stride down the row of targets, bumping into little Ray Slater from Ten. Ray stumbles backwards and Leif and the other boy- I think his name's Meris- laugh.

They stop a couple feet away from me.

"Did you make these shots?" Leif asks.

I nod, not wanting to say anything.

Meris looks slightly impressed, while Leif nods approvingly. I run a hand through my blonde hair.

"Who are you? Where are you from?" Meris asks.

"Wonder Marquise, District One." I say.

"Any survival skills?" Leif asks.

"I can start a fire, I can sew up a wound, and I can tell which direction I'm headed in based on the sun," I reply.

"Welcome to the alliance," Leif says. "Unless, of course, you don't want to join."

I nod. "Thank you, I'd love to join!" I'm in an alliance!

Leif nods. "Keep practicing archery. You'll need to work on moving targets. Shooting, say, that kid, will be different than hitting a target. You're gonna need a lot more help." he says, pointing at the boy from Six.

I comply. Raising my bow, I take aim at the hologram Benedikt, from Seven, is currently chopping at. Following its movements with my bow, I wait for the right moment and let the arrow fly.

I miss by about a foot. Leif claps me on the back.

"Keep it up, Wonder. You'll get it. Eventually."

 _Chris Pine, D6. Age 12_

I watch as the Career boys push over the boy from Ten, Ray, I think. Poor Ray stumbles backward, protesting. The older boys laugh, walking on. I put down the rope I've been tampering with, and take a closer look. I scurry over to Ray, and help him up.

"Thanks," Ray says, while dusting his pants off.

"Don't mention it," I reply.

"What's your name?" he asks.

"Chris Pine," I say. "You?"

"Ray Slater," he says. I nod.

"District..." I press.

"Ten," he says. "And you're from Six, right?"

I nod. Taking a deep breath, I ask, "Um... do you wanna be allies?"

Ray nods enthusiastically. "Sure!" We shake hands and head off to the knife station.

I pick one up and hurl it at a target. It misses and lodges in the wall. I shake my head in exasperation.

The next knife I throw is a bit closer- but still far off. The third actually hits the target, and I smile in contentment.

Not for long, though, because the boy from District Three steps in. Choosing a knife, he throws it toward the target. Spinning gracefully as it arcs through midair, the knife hits the dead center of the target.

"How about that, kid?" the older boy says. I gape, mouth open.

"Close your mouth, you'll attract flies," says District Three. I do so. Laughing, the boy lumbers off to the mind-puzzles station.

I turn to Ray. "Did you see that?"

"I'm standing right here. Whaddaya think?"

I roll my eyes, and shaking my head, I stomp off to the rope climbing stations.

 _Benedikt "Ben" Blackwood, D7. Age 17._

I pick up the last leaf. _Poison or not?_ _Poison or not?_ I ask myself. Giving up, I sort the leaf into the "poisonous" pile. The score flashes on the screen- 15/20. I notice that the last leaf I'd picked up was one of the ones I got right. Huh.

 _I'll keep that in mind,_ I think as I walk away from the station.

The next station I visit is the axe station. Picking up an average-size axe, I swing it around in my hand to get the feel of it. I walk to the hologram simulator.

"Medium," I tell the operator.

"Weapon?" he asks.

"Axe," I say.

He nods, signaling for me to go. I take my spot as the yellow holograms start to appear. A swing of my axe, and the first hologram disintegrates. But I hadn't noticed the one with a sword creeping up behind me.

The simulation beeps and the holograms disappear. I would be dead right now if that were real. I thank the operator and shake my head in shame.

Next is the mandatory obstacle course, called the "Gauntlet". I tell the trainer my name and take my place.

"Ready? Begin," calls the trainer. I jump off my platform and race through the punching bags set up in a crisscross pattern. I break out into the open and feel a bat hit my legs. I grimace in pain and jump off to the side to avoid being hit again. Darting through the trainers' bats, I breathe heavily.

I see the monkey bars up ahead. Sprinting faster by the second, I leap onto the pedestal in front of the monkey bars.

Reaching out my arms, I swing from bar to bar like a monkey. At the end, I hop off and realize the test is over. I screech to a stop, panting hard, bent over with hands on my legs.

"Two twenty-seven," the trainer says. "Good job,"

I nod in gratitude as the head trainer calls out that training's over. Grabbing a water bottle, I race to the elevator. I press the button for the seventh floor, and when the elevator arrives, I plod to the bedroom labeled with my name. I plop down in bed and am asleep almost instantly.

 **Thank you to OddOrb, TheGreenMockingjay and catnip851 for these tributes!**


	12. Chapter 12: Girls' Training Day 2

Chapter 12

 **Hi guys! I'm back! And with a new chapter, too! This is the second day of the Girls' Training ;D There is an explanation for my absence at the end of the chapter. I know that Angel has some... Similarities to someone we all know well, but I have some... things planned for her. Enjoy!**

 _Ali Wheel, D6. Age 18._

I sweep my hand over the pile of leaves on the table. I pick up a leaf, looking it over. I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure this one's okay. I sort the leaf into the pile labeled EDIBLE with big black letters.

The trainer writes a note on his clipboard and enters something on his computer. I pick up the last two leaves, the ones I don't know. The first leaf is spiky and green, and the second one is curved in a sort of boat shape. Sorting the spiky one into the POISONOUS pile, and the curved one into the EDIBLE pile, I throw my hands in the air to tell the trainer that I'm done.

My score flashes: 6/20. Yikes. The trainer writes my score on his clipboard and files the paper under my name in his folder. I thank him and move on to the slingshots.

When I get to the slingshot station, there's some girls there already. I think one's name is Triode, the little one from Three. She's not doing much, mostly just observing. The other girl is Lacie Ashdale, from Eight. Lacie's not terribly good at it, and Triode is just watching.

"Hey," I say. "Lacie, right?"

"Yeah," she replies, not looking up. "Whaddaya want?"

"I want to talk," I say.

She drops her sword, exasperated. " I know you wanna talk. Why else would you be here?!"

I make a face. "I saw you working with the swords. You're pretty good,"

"Yeah, right," Lacie scoffs. "This thing-" she gestures to the sword- "is way too heavy. I can barely pick it up, let alone kill someone."

"Okay, maybe I just wanted to make you feel good." I admit.

"I don't trust you, Six." Lacie says.

"I don't trust you, Eight," I shoot back. "But I have an offer. I worked with these kinds of blades back in Six, and I'm willing to help you out. If you promise to ally with me."

Lacie thinks this over. "Fine," she finally says, and my heart leaps. An ally! "Now, how do I do this?"

 _Angel Ravenwood, D11. Age 14._

I take a deep breath and let the arrow fly. It lodges in the second ring, and I groan in frustration. Back at home, I'd been hitting perfect bullseyes every time, but now I'm only mediocre- like I was when I was seven. It must be these silly Capitol bows- they're so heavy and so fancy. I'm not the strongest of girls, but I'm not weak, at all. Hunting outside of District Eleven for my sister Petunia has ensured that I am strong and brave.

RI think back to the Reaping, when I volunteered for Petunia. The poor kid wouldn't stand a chance against anyone, not even little Triode! Piti Merchant, my best friend, had definitely wanted to volunteer when my District partner, Dyson, was reaped, but I stopped him. Now here I am. At least Petunia and Piti are safe at home in Eleven.

I'm snapped back to the present as a small child's shrill scream echoes through the Training Centre.

"OWOWOWOW!" I hear. What now? Did some little kid get in a fight with the Careers or something?

"What's wrong?" asks a trainer. I hear a slight whimper and a girl's voice says,

"I stabbed myself with a dagger,"

I look over at the Careers, Gem and Julianna. They're whispering to each other and snickering. Marking the kid as an easy target, probably. I'm gonna have to agree, as much as the poor kid reminds me of Petunia. She's got the same long, light brown hair and light brown eyes as my sister.

I shrug and resume shooting my bow, but the girl's cries are very distracting. Almost every shot I make is off the target. Frustrated, I put down my bow and stomp over to the rope climbing station.

 _Forest Rivertree, D7. Age 15._

After we break for lunch, I head to the throwing knife station. I pick up the first knife and hurl it into the target. It lands in the center circle, and I smile. Picking up the second knife, I take a deep breath and throw it. It lands in the center- a perfect bullseye.

I notice then that Gem and Julianna, the Careers, are watching me. I put down the third knife as they walk up to me.

"Forest, right? District Seven?" Julianna asks.

I nod. What do they want with me? They can't possibly want to ally!

"We have an offer for you. We want you in our alliance. Would you consider joining the Careers?" Gem questions.

Joining the Careers? Why would I want to ally? Especially since I'm not from their Districts. Then, I remember. The girl from Four, the last Career district, was reaped. No one volunteered for her. I guess I impressed the Careers with my throwing knives.

But I'm not a Career. Never will be. I know I'll be a target now, but I don't have the mind of a Career.

"Thank you, but I think I'm going to decline your kind offer," I say, as politely as I can.

I can tell that Gem and Julianna are taken aback at this.

"You know that you'll be a big target, right? We could help you. We could get you knives!" Julianna says.

Again, I shake my head. "I know. But I just don't think I can."

"Well, it's your decision," Gem says. "But you better watch your back, because you're now our biggest target." Julianna nods, and with a flip of their hair, the two flounce off towards the archery station.

 **Hey everyone! I'm sooooooo very sorry for the long wait. I have been creating a blog for Articulosis! Go check it out- articulosisthe100thhg. blogspot. com. (No spaces)**

 **Also, just keep in mind that even when there are long waits, I'll never abandon you guys. Trust me on that. :D**

 **I'm kind of considering a hiatus on this story due to school. It won't be a long one, probably only a week to a month, but my schoolwork's pretty intense. I'm also a competitive gymnast, and that takes a lot of time too.**

 **Finally, to wrap up this looooooong author note, I'm putting an alliance list. Here it is! Keep in mind that if you want an ally for your tribute, and they're not listed here, you can PM me and I'll tell you if it's possible.**

 **Enjoy and have a great day!**

 **Females:**

 **Careers: Gem Vanderpike, Julianna Cobbley**

 **Alliance 1: Lacie Ashdale, Ali Wheel**

 **Males:**

 **Careers: Lief Gemmite, Wonder Marquise, Meris Pisces**

 **Alliance 1: Ray Slater, Chris Pine**


	13. Chapter 13: Boys' Private Sessions

**Welcome back to another installment of Articulosis, the 100th Hunger Games! I'm your host, Misty, and today we'll be visiting the Boys' Private Sessions. As a bonus, there are scores at the bottom of the page! Happy reading! :D  
**  
 _Head Gamemaker Lucia Tilby of the Capitol_

I look in the mirror as I fix my hair, pulling it back into a high ponytail. Everything has to be _perfect_. It is a Quarter Quell, the 100th Hunger Games. The twist of the century. I smile as I ring the bell for an Avox to come fix my nails. Within a minute, there's a knock at the door.

"Come in," I say, fully expecting one of the many tongueless servants to walk into the room. I look up, and see none other than my second in command, Julia Braknee.

"Ms. Tilby, the Private Sessions are today. Are you ready? The first tributes will be here within the hour."

"Well, I was _getting_ ready, Julia, until you walked in. Where are those Avoxes when you need them?"

As if on cue, a knock sounds once again. I smile. "Come in, already."

An Avox walks in. I look over to see the young girl they brought me from District One, for my last birthday. I heard she cost my family five thousand dollars- what a bargain! Most good Avoxes are worth twice that much.

"Nails, girl. Get my nails done. Fast, mind you- I have somewhere important to be."

The Avox nods, looking at her feet. I hand her my best bottle of red polish and stretch my arm out, extending my hand for the Avox to paint.

Julia smiles. "I'll see you in a half hour for the Private Sessions," she says. I nod, dismissing her. She leaves, and I look impatiently at my nails.

"Are you done yet?" I ask, knowing full well that the Avox is incapable of answering. She puts the final stroke on my left hand and puts the nail polish brush back in its container. She picks up my hands and directs them gently towards the nail-dryer. The warm air flows over my hands as it dries my nails. The Avox lets go of my hands and they drop to my side.

"Go, girl. I don't need anything else right now." The Avox nods and scampers out of the room, closing the door behind her. I stand up and head out of the room towards the Training Center.

When I arrive, the other Gamemakers are already in their seats.

Julia smiles. "Hello, Ms. Tilby."

"Hello, Julia. Are we ready to start?" I reply.

"We are," a voice pipes up from the back of the room. I whirl around, and glare at the owner of the voice- Agrippa, the newest Gamemaker. She sees my icy glare and slaps a hand over her mouth.

"Do not speak without permission, Agrippa. Consider this a warning," I say harshly. She nods, obviously nervous.

I turn back to Julia. "Call in the first tribute," I say.

She picks up the mike. "Wonder Marquise, please report to the Training Center immediately. Wonder Marquise."

We wait for about a minute, and then the automatic doors open to reveal a tall, semi-muscular boy. He looks around for a second, and then his eyes swing up towards the loft where we sit.

"Wonder Marquise," he says.

"You have ten minutes," I say. He nods, and heads over to the archery station. Picking up a bow and a quiver of arrows, he slings the quiver over his shoulder. He reaches up and grabs an arrow, then notches it and pulls back the bow string. He releases the arrow, and it flies at the target. It lodges itself in the middle of the target.

This continues for five minutes. Reach back, notch the arrow, pull back the string, let go. Reach back, notch the arrow, pull back the string, let go.

Finally, the boy runs out of arrows. He smiles at us, takes a bow, and leaves.

Julia calls the next boy up. He is a heavily-muscled, tall boy with an auburn quiff, and he announces himself as Leif Gemmite. He asks for a trainer to spar with, and I call over Aurelius, the third-best sword fighter in the Capitol. Aurelius and Leif pick up swords, and they begin to circle each other. Leif takes the first jab, aiming for Aurelius' abdomen. Leif misses, but hits Aurelius' arm. The chainmail clinks, and Aurelius thrusts at Leif's stomach. Leif jumps back, and Aurelius smiles.

Leif slashes at Aurelius' heart, and he hits. The older man falls to the ground in mock horror. Leif pulls off his chainmail helmet and bows.

"Leif Gemmite, District Two," Then he leaves.

Cobalt Days of District Three is up next. He smiles a snarky smile and heads over to the mind-test station. He takes the test within five minutes, and steps back to reveal the score. 85%, which is higher than the average for District Five, but slightly below the average for Three. It's overall a pretty good score for how fast he took the test. He takes a bow and leaves.

Meris Pisces comes in. He goes straight to the scraps bin and takes a couple minutes to build. He steps aside and I can see the small black box he's created.

"Stand back," he says. He holds up a remote, then presses a button.

 _ **BOOM!**_ I'm surprised to see that a wall is gone, and slowly regenerating.

Meris walks to the center of the room. "Thank you," he says, and exits.

Next is Jordan Clarke. Jordan walks over to the camouflage station, and after a few minutes, his hand is gone. Well, not _gone_ gone, just painted into the background of a tree. He seems to know he won't get a great score with just this, and so he walks to the knife station. He explains why he would hit where he hit a dummy and I'm rather impressed.

After he leaves, in walks a young boy. Chris Pine is his name. He looks very nervous as he walks over to the knives and starts to dismember a dummy. This goes in for about two minutes before the poor kid accidentally cuts himself on the arm. He yelps in pain and runs out of the room without dismissing himself.

Benedikt Blackwood walks in next. He sprints along the path for a minute or so.

 _He's quite fast,_ I think as he runs. He slows down and eventually stops, then walks over to the throwing axes. He takes an axe and chucks it toward the target, and it hits the outside ring. He picks up the next axe and throws it, but it hits the wall behind the target. Benedikt takes a bow and leaves.

After Benedikt, District Eight's Caddis Tweed walks in. He smiles shyly and walks over to the swords. He tears a dummy to shreds, then takes a few laps around the tracks. He's actually quite fast too, but he doesn't run for as long as Benedikt. He wipes sweat from his brow and I make a face. Caddis takes a bow and leaves.

Next in is Wheatley Farking of Nine. He, too, is near to crying as he picks up a sickle. He attempts to hit a dummy but fails miserably, The sickle is too heavy for the boy and he drops it. I cover my ears as it clangs to the floor, and Wheatley runs out of the room in tears.

Next, another young boy walks into the room. He goes straight to the edible plants station, without even introducing himself. Thankfully, I have a roster in front of me, so I know this is Ray Slater of District Ten. He sorts the leaves and berries into two piles and steps aside to display his score: a perfect 20/20. This kid's pretty good, but just survival skills won't get him far in the Games.

After Ray leaves, the boy from District Eleven, Dyson Summers, walks in. He makes a move towards the weights, and picks up a large medicine ball the size and weight of a large rock. He throws it at a dummy and it hits, knocking the dummy over. Impressive, seeing as the ball weighed at least 10 pounds.

Finally, the last tribute walks in. He introduces himself as Ash Grey and he walks straight to the daggers. He cuts the limbs off a dummy and slices the body multiple times. He also goes to the climbing wall and climbs for a minute or two. After he gets down, he smiles, bows and leaves.

I take a swig of my wine as the Gamemakers talk about scores. I, of course, will have the final say, so I don't listen. I make a list in my head of the scores, and doing this, I realize it's at least ten at night. I fall asleep to the sound of Agrippa and Julia arguing about Wonder's score.

 _Cobalt Days, D3. Age 17_

I take a seat on the couch near Beetee, as the Anthem plays. No one speaks as Cambria Flickerman, Master of Ceremonies, appears.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, to the official Training Score Reveal for the Fourth Quarter Quell! I'm your host, Cambria Flickerman, and we'll start off with the boys."

A picture of the boy from District One- Wonder- appears on the screen, along with the number 9.

"Well done, Wonder, you earned a nine!"

The screen flashes to a picture of Leif from Two. His score is a ten. I gape. _Well, there's my biggest threat right there,_ I think.

My heart pounds as my picture comes up. Under it, a large, black number 6. A six? Really, they gave me a _SIX_?! The Gamemakers must have been drunk or something. I deserved at least an eight. Oh well, those Careers will get it in the Games.

Meris Pisces, with a score of… five? I scored higher than a Career? I knew I was better than him! Hah, it just goes to show that Cobalt Days will be a household name in just a few weeks. I sit back in the couch, and enjoy the rest of the scores.

 _Chris Pine, D6. Age 12_

After Meris, a snarky-looking boy appears. His name is apparently Jordan Clarke. He got a six. Not too terrible, and I should keep a lookout for him.

I'm next. My heart leaps to my throat as I remember my session, where I cut my arm with the knife. My face shows up on the TV… with a score of two. Actually, that's better than I thought I'd get. I figured I'd get a one. There go any potential sponsors.

Up next is Benedikt Blackwood from Seven. He got a five, like Meris. I wonder what he did- I always thought he'd get better than a five.

After Ben, Caddis Tweed shows. His score was a five, too- what I'd expected from him. Not terrible, not great.

 _Ash Grey, D12. Age 17_

Up on the screen, I see the scared face of Wheatley Farking, with a one under it. Poor kid, there go all his sponsors- not that he had any to begin with.

Next, the little boy from Ten- Ray Slater with a four. He got an average score for his young age- then again, so did many of us.

After Ray, Dyson Summers shows up on the screen. He got a seven, which is pretty dang good- and also what I'd expected. He could be a good ally.

I realize that I'm next. My face shows, and under it, a number five. _Great job, Ash,_ I think. _Average. Not too high, but not too low._

Everyone scored pretty average this year. I'm pretty nervous as I head off to bed, pondering my score and what I'll do for the interviews tomorrow.

 **Hello, it's me again. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope to update soon. It's 10:00 and I need sleep, so I won't say much else, but here are your scores. (PS: This chapter was a really long one. Expect long chapters now that Training's over and I've found a style I like.)**

Chapter Question (Yes, this is a thing now): How were the scores in relation to what the tributes did? Too high or low, or were they good?

 **SCORE LIST:**

 **Wonder: 9**

 **Leif: 10**

 **Cobalt: 6**

 **Meris: 5**

 **Jordan: 5**

 **Chris: 2**

 **Benedikt: 5**

 **Caddis: 5**

 **Wheatley: 1**

 **Ray: 4**

 **Dyson: 7**

 **Ash: 5**


	14. Chapter 14: Girls' Private Sessions

**Hey guys! I'm back and so are the female tributes! Enjoy the Private Sessions!**

 _Head Gamemaker Lucia Tilby of the Capitol_

I smile, walking down the hallway towards the Training Center. I reach the doors to the Center and open them, then flash a smile at the two Peacekeepers guarding a second door. It's labeled GAMEMAKERS ONLY on a sign that is bolted into the door. The Peacekeeper on the left signals to me with one hand, and I hold out my identity card. He nods, and flips up the cover on a retina scanner. I hold my eye open and bend down for the scanner. It beeps and scans my eye, then beeps again, signaling that I'm, in fact, me.

The Peacekeeper on the right opens the door for me and I walk in. There's a flight of stairs that I climb to get to the Gamemaker Lounge. At the top of the stairs there is a door. Thankfully, it's an automatic door. I'm supposed to be ready to call in the first tribute right now, and I'm not even to my seat yet.

I walk into the room and everyone falls silent. I sit in my seat and motion for Julia, my second-in-command, to call in the first tribute. She does, and we wait for about a minute before the doors to the Training Center slide open and a girl strides in, an aura of confidence about her. This must be Gem Vanderpike. Who else could it be?

Gem smiles at us and heads straight to the throwing stars. She picks three up and chucks them at the target. They all hit, and two are bulls-eyes. She picks up a couple more- again, two are bulls-eyes and the others all hit the inner ring. Gem then places down the throwing stars and goes to the plants station. It's a surprise- rarely do the Careers go to the plant station. She picks up some leaves, and calls for a blender. She puts the leaves on it, along with a cup of water, and turns it on. The blender roars, and I cover my ears. Gem pours a bit of her concoction into a cup and dips a dart in it. She places the dart in a blowgun and brings it to her mouth. She fires, and the dart lands in the dead center of the target. Then, I realize that the target is… melting. Gem created acid!

Gem takes a bow and leaves. Julia and I look at each other, stunned. I wasn't even aware that acid could be concocted, much less with the simple plants from our station! Julia picks up the mike and calls in the next tribute, Julianna Cobbley.

Julianna enters the room, a glint of something I can't describe in her eye. She heads to the spears, an unusual choice for District Two. She picks up one of the lightweight silver spears, spins it in her hand, and throws it at the target. The spear pierces the center of the target. She goes to retrieve the spear and pulls it out of the target with ease, something that would have taken effort for one of the younger tributes to do. Julianna sprints back to the spot from which she threw the spear, backs up a bit, and chucks it at the target. Again, the spear hits the middle ring. Quite impressive.

Julianna comes to the center of the room, announces her name, curtsies, and leaves. Julia calls the next name into the microphone, and boy, is it a strange one! The girl's name is Triode Panem. I heard that this is the orphan who was taken in by a factory manager and who had her surname replaced.

A girl walks into the room, a small girl with wild black hair and pale skin to contrast it. She looks nervous as she walks to the station with a mind test. she takes the test within about five minutes, and she looks shocked at her score- a whopping 60%. Triode looks around for a moment and then her eyes light up as if she's had a brilliant idea. She quickly strides over to the back of the machine and squats down, beginning to toy with the wires. She, after a minute or two, flips a switch and I am amazed by what I see.

On the screen that previously read 60%, is now a big, bold 100%. Triode has messed with the system and rewired it to give her a better score. First Meris blowing up the wall, now Triode rewiring the system… what next?

Triode walks to the center of the room, takes a bow, and exits.

Julia looks around, eyes wide, and calls into the microphone the name Ashlynn Sheah. After a minute or two, another young girl, this one with light brown, long hair, walks into the room. She smiles timidly and goes to the throwing axes station. Ashlynn picks up an axe, throws it at the target, and- no surprise!- it misses. She follows the axe's path in the air, moving her head up and down in perfect synchronization with the rise and fall of the axe. As it clangs to the floor, she covers her eyes with her hands. Poor kid. Very determined, though, as she walks dejectedly to the axe, picks it up, and walks back to her spot. Ashlynn throws again, and again, it misses by a mile. Ashlynn apparently decides that she's been humiliated enough, walks to the center of the room, announces her name in a shaky voice, and leaves.

Kamata Pavara, from District Five, is next. She looks over at the mind test, which had been roped off during Ashlynn's session. Her eyes widen, and she looks as if she were about to curse. That station must have been her strong suit. Kamata regains her composure, smiles gently, and walks to the plant-sorting station. She works furiously for a few moments, then picks up a small blade. She cuts her arm, winces, and picks up a small vial that she had been hiding with her body, pours it onto her arm and waits. Within a minute, there is only a thin scab to show that she had been injured. She smiles and walks out.

Ali Wheel is next. She walks in confidently and smiles at us. She heads over to the swords, stands up a dummy and begins to swipe at it. She misses half of her swings, but doesn't give up. She stabs at the dummy, hitting it in the heart and sliding the sword down through the stomach. She sets the sword down, smiles, curtsies, and leaves.

After Ali, the girl from Seven, Forest, walks in. She has long, brown hair, and pale skin. She goes straight to the throwing knives, chucking several knives into a target. They all hit, and out of three, two hit the inner ring. The other hits the second ring from the outside. Forest looks quite satisfies, and goes to the climbing walls. She calls over the trainer, asks for a stopwatch, and when it's given to her, she presses the GO button. She begins to climb, and forty-five seconds later, she reaches the top. She rappels down, then bows and smiles. She walks out, and Lacie Ashdale walks in.

She smiles, and walks over to the throwing knives. She picks up a knife and throws it, and it hits the outer ring of the target. This goes on and on- pick up the knife, aim, throw, sigh. Lacie, after about three minutes, gives up and strides confidently to the tracks. She runs for a minute or two, and like the boy from her District, is quite fast. She looks up at us, curtsies, and leaves.

Julia calls the name Barley Moon into the microphone, and a girl with curly auburn hair walks into the room. Like the boy from her District, she walks briskly to the scythes. Unlike the boy from her District, however, she picks up the scythe with ease and swings it at a dummy. The scythe's blade hits the dummy in the head, puncturing the "forehead" and slicing through the soft foam. Barley retracts the scythe and swings it again, this time at the neck of the dummy. it cuts straight through the neck, slicing the head clean off. Barley puts down the scythe, walks to the middle of the room, smiles, and leaves.

Next up is Fable Tanner. Fable hurries to the daggers, and begins to mutilate a dummy. She slices its limbs clean off and begins to carve a pattern into the soft coating over the dummy. She then goes over to the pool and begins to swim, which is quite surprising seeing as she's from an outer district, and isn't wearing a swimsuit. She swims laps for a minute or two, hops out of the pool, and takes a bow. Then she walks out, shivering in the cold air.

After Fable, Angel Ravenwood comes in. She picks up a bow and arrow, then begins to shoot at a target. She begins to fail miserably after the first couple shots, which is surprising. We'd watched this girl closely during training, and she was quite good with a bow. Surprisingly , now the arrows are barely connecting with the targets- stage fright, possibly. After about ten shots, Angel leaves without taking a bow or anything. How rude.

Rose Aster comes up next. She walks to the axe station, then calls over a trainer. The two talk for a moment, then the trainer nods. He walks over to the holograms and turns them on. Rose takes her place at the center of the chamber, and waits for the holograms to appear. They do, and Rose begins to chop at them. Each hologram disappears as Rose swipes at them, until she lets her guard down for a moment and a hologram sneaks up behind her. It brings its sword crashing down on her head, and she sighs in disappointment. Rose walks out of the chamber, smiles, and leaves.

I take a deep breath as the Gamemakers begin to talk about scores. I hold up a hand, and everyone stops talking.

"I'm going to decide on the scores today. You all are dismissed." I say, and everyone looks around in confusion. Agrippa, the newest Gamemaker, stands up, and the others follow suit. They file out of the door, and I place my head in my hands. This is going to be a long couple of hours.

 _Triode Panem, D3. Age 12_

The screen lights up in front of us as the anthem begins to play. I hum along, and wait for the scores to appear. The first one on the screen is Gem Vanderpike, with a score of 9. Very intimidating, and I can't imagine what she did to earn a score so high.

After Gem, Julianna Cobbley shows up. Her score is a 9, too. I bet she's going to do really well, and so is Gem.

I'm next. My breath catches in my throat as a score of four appears on the screen. That's actually quite good for my age, and I'm satisfied. I guess the Gamemakers were impressed with what I did.

After me, the girl from Four shows up. Her name is Ashlynn Sheah, and she got a score of three. Average for her age, and she's probably quite happy with it. I decide to finish watching the scores later, and I nudge my mentor, telling her I'm going to bed. She nods, and I leave.

 _Lacie Ashdale, D8. Age 16_

After the face of Ashlynn fades away, the girl from Five, Kamata, shows up. She got a six- quite good, and surprising. I thought she'd be a bloodbath, but I could be wrong.

Next is Ali. She's my ally, and I am quite nervous. She had better get a good score. A six. Quite good, actually, and I am glad. Not so high as to attract attention, but high enough for sponsors.

Forest Rivertree is next. She gets a seven! That's very good, Ali and i should consider asking her to join the alliance.

I am the next tribute on the screen, and my score is a five. I guess it's justified- I didn't do too well on the knives. Oh well- it's a good score anyway.

 _Rose Aster, D12. Age 16._

After Lacie, Barley comes up on the screen. Her score is a seven, just like Forest. She is quite capable, and now she'll have sponsors.

Next is Fable Tanner, the young girl from District Ten. She gets a four, very good for a twelve-year-old.

After Fable, Angel Ravenwood, the girl who volunteered for her sister, comes onto the screen. She gets a three- much less than what I'd expected. Oh well, better for me!

I am, of course, the last tribute to be displayed. My face fades onto the big screen, with a seven. I'm pleased- that'll get me a few sponsors.

The scores are over. Now to get through the Interviews, and then the Games. I stand up, and go to my room.

 **Hey guys! Fast update, yay! I want to thank WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper for the ideas for Gem and Kamata's sessions. Thank you! Not much else to say, so here's the chapter question!**

 **Chapter Question: How were the scores in relation to what the tributes did? Too high or low, or were they good?**

 **Score List:**

 **Gem: 9**

 **Julianna: 9**

 **Triode: 4**

 **Ashlynn: 3**

 **Kamata: 6**

 **Ali: 6**

 **Forest: 7**

 **Lacie: 5**

 **Barley: 7**

 **Fable: 4**

 **Angel: 3**

 **Rose: 7**

 **Have a great day!**


	15. Chapter 15: Boys' Interviews

**Hey guys! I'm back. I just want to apologize in advance if I didn't write your tribute the way you wanted. Enjoy this (really long) chapter.**

 _Cambria Flickerman, Master of Ceremonies_

I sit in the chair and let my stylist, Juno, fuss over my hair. She pulls it back into a fancy braid, letting it fall down my back. Juno smiles.

"There you are, Madam Flickerman. All ready," she says in that loud voice of hers.

"And right on time, too," I reply. "The interviews start in five minutes." I stand up, nod respectfully at Juno, and head out the door to the stage.

As soon as I enter, the audience's shouts overwhelm me. I sit in the large plush chair that stands on the stage, waiting for me and for the tributes.

I sit there in the chair, waving and enjoying myself, until I hear the nasally voice of Demitria, the head cameraman. "We're live in five… four… three… two… one."

I plaster a huge smile on my face, waving to the audience.

"Welcome, everyone!" I say. "Welcome to the interviews for the male tributes in the 100th annual Hunger Games!" The din of the audience's shouts is deafening, but I keep a smile on my face. "Let's introduce our first tribute, shall we? Please welcome the very luxurious Wonder Marquise of District One!"

Music plays as the sixteen-year-old from the luxury District makes his way to the stage. Dressed in a nice white tux, Wonder strides towards me, and we shake hands before sitting down.

"Wonder, my boy!" I exclaim. "Welcome! How are you enjoying the Capitol?"

"Fine, thank you," Wonder says, looking down.

"Fine? That's all we get?" I chirp. "Surely, there must be _something_ more going on in that head of yours,"

"Not much," Wonder admits. "I like the strawberries, though,"

The audience chuckles, and I smile. "Well. Tell us, Wonder, why did you volunteer? I'm sure we're _dying_ to know. I know I am."

Wonder suddenly looks back up. "I volunteered for my family's clothing shop. We're not doing so well. If I don't win this, I don't know what my parents will do."

A murmur of discomfort comes from the audience- they had really expected more from the boy who scored a 9 in training. I place a hand on Wonder's knee.

"Well, Wonder, I'm sure you'll do quite well. Wonder Marquise, everybody!"

We shake hands again, standing. Wonder walks off the stage, up the stairs, and to the designated spot that the tributes stand on after their interviews.

"Next up, all the way from the masonry District, please welcome Leif Gemmite!" I exclaim. Leif jogs downstage as the music plays, waving and smiling at the audience. I shake his hand and we sit.

"Welcome, Leif, how are things going?"

"I'm doing well, Cambria. Excited for tomorrow," he replies.

"Oh? And how, may I ask, did you ever manage to score so high in Training? A ten is very impressive, you know," I ask.

"Oh, well, you know, I showed off my skills. The usual." Leif smiles confidently.

"Details, details! Leif, we need to know more!" I say.

Leif ponders this for a moment. "Oh, you know I'm not supposed to tell you anything about Training. It was a good shot, though," he smiles and says.

"True. Well, I am confident in your abilities! Best of luck to you, Leif!"

Shaking Leif's hand, I stand up, and Leif walks to his designated spot. The audience is obviously sad to see him go, but they clap.

"Next up, from the electronics District, we have our very own… Cobalt Days!" I say, and as the upbeat, cheery music plays, a tall boy with spiked-up blonde hair wearing a black tux and a multicolored tie walks on stage. I offer my hand, but Cobalt turns up his nose and sits down on his own. I can tell I'm not going to enjoy the next three minutes much.

"Welcome, Cobalt, to the Capitol! Are you excited for tomorrow?"

"I'm not quite excited, per say, but I'm definitely ready. I have the brains to win, and I will show you all that," Cobalt says with a smirk. The audience erupts in applause, especially the ones in the District Three sponsor box. Cobalt says nothing, but looks out into the audience.  
"And Cobalt? How, how did you ever manage to get such a high score?"

"Classified," he says, and I burst out laughing along with everyone else. "No, seriously, I can't tell you,"  
The audience moans, clearly wanting more. This boy's a hit, but I can tell this isn't his real self.

"Well, Cobalt, best of luck to you, sir!" I say, standing up and offering my hand to shake. Cobalt thinks for a moment, before extending his own hand to shake mine. I take it and we shake, then Cobalt walks off.

"Now, does anyone smell anything fishy about this next one's training score? From District Four, Meris Pisces!"

I am given a huge surprise as a giant… shark walks onstage. I reel back in confusion and the audience points, obviously wondering what's going on. The shark- Meris- waddles, almost penguin-like, towards the chair and I have to help him sit down.  
"Well, Meris, this is certainly a… um… surprise," I remark after an awkward moment of silence.

"Yes. Is this the part where you ask me questions? Cause I'm sure ready for the line."

I laugh. "Yes, it is. So, Meris, tell us about your score. Why so low?"

"I didn't do it on porpoise," Meris says, and continues talking, but he's drowned out by the laughter of the audience.  
"Slow down, Meris!" I say, chuckling. "Now, the score. Do tell."

"You know I can't. I can tell you this though- I cannot do much. I can't even tune a piano," He busts out laughing, and so do I. The audience doesn't seem to get the joke, and Meris gestures to them.

"Tune a piano? _Tuna_ piano?" he says, and bends over laughing again. The audience begins to get the joke, and they start to laugh. "Cod, that was a bad one. An eely bad one," Meris laughs. "My puns are usually on point, but not today!"  
The buzzer rings, and Meris stands up (but not without difficulty). I stand, shake his hand, and motion to the spot where he stands. Meris waddles over and takes his place.

"The next tribute we have the pleasure of hearing from tonight is right here, right now! Give it up for Jordan Clarke of District Five!"

A boy with longish blonde hair walks onstage in a simple, dark blue suit with a white tie. He smiles reluctantly as he walks toward me and waves gently as he sits. I smile.

"Welcome, Jordan," I say. He looks around, his eyes stopping as they reach mine.

"Thanks," he says bluntly, with no smile or even a hint of one. This one'll be hard to work with too. He also had the unfortunate disadvantage of coming right after the hilarious Meris, so his sponsor number will probably dwindle tonight after the interviews.

"Well, Jordan. What are your hobbies?" I ask him.

He looks shocked for a minute, and I watch as he furiously scrambles for an answer.  
"Uh, golf?" He's lying, I can tell. He obviously has something to hide, and unfortunately I'm not sure what it is. "Yeah. Golf. I just love golf."

"Wow, golf? I like golf too," I say. I'm lying too, but no one can tell. I'm an excellent liar. "Have you got a plan for the arena?" I ask, and Jordan shrugs.  
"I've got a few tricks up my sleeve,"

"Well, I'm sure we're all ready to see them," I say. "Jordan Clarke, everyone!"

By now, some of the younger kids in the audience are sleeping, and everyone who's not looks bored. _Sorry, guys, it just goes downhill from here,_ I think.

I plaster a smile on my face as I announce the name of the next boy. "Chris Pine of District Six, wheel your way on in here!"

A little boy with tanned skin and black hair appears, obviously confused. He's dressed in a plain black suit with a red tie, and he looks around for a while, wondering where to go. This continues for a while until the boy from Ten walks up and points towards me. Chris turns, smiles at the boy and walks over to me.

I shake his hand as we sit in the chairs. "Welcome, Chris! How are you doing today?"

He smiles shyly. "I'm fine, Cambria, thanks for asking,"

"Oh, good. And are you excited to compete in the Games? It's tomorrow, you know," I press.

"I can't say I'm excited, but I'm not nervous either," he says.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You know, I'm not scared of death. I'm twelve, and I know I won't make it far, but I figure that's okay. I just hope I go out quickly," he says.

"Good words, and ones we can all live by," I remark. "Chris Pine of District Six, everyone!"

Chris stands, and we shake hands again. I point him in the direction of the other male tributes, and he walks over to his spot.

"Now, from District Seven, with a Training Score of 5 solid as a tree trunk, we have the splendid Benedikt Blackwood!" I announce, smiling. A tall boy in a forest green tuxedo walks out of the backstage area, waving charmingly at the audience. The teenage girls from the District Seven sponsor box squeal, and one falls over. Benedikt blows a kiss in their direction, and the girls all put up their hands, as if they were going to catch the kiss.

"Welcome, Benedikt," I say. "How, may I ask, are you?

"Call me Ben," he insists. "I'm doing quite well. Yourself?"

"I'm doing well also," I say. "Tell me, Ben, are you ready for tomorrow?"

"I'm ready as I'll ever be," he smiles.

"Oh? And anyone special back at home you want to say anything to?" I ask.

"My little sister. Antonia. I love you, and I'll be back soon. Don't worry, okay Annie? I miss you, but you'll see me soon."  
"That's just precious! And I'm looking forward to seeing more of you, Ben. Ben Blackwood, everyone!" I exclaim, wiping a fake tear from my eye.

Ben smiles, taking a quick bow as he walks offstage.

"Next up, all the way from our _very_ fashionable District Eight, we have Mr. Caddis Tweed! Come on out, Caddis!"

Caddis Tweed, dressed in a black suit with smart shoes and a nice red tie, walks towards me, and I shake his hand as we sit.  
"Well, Caddis, tell us about that training score. A five, that's very impressive for your District," I say.  
"Cambria, you know I can't say anything." he says with a smirk. "You'll be able to see tomorrow. I believe you can wait, no?"

"I believe so. Caddis, tell me about an ideal District partner. What or whom are you hoping to see wearing a large "8" on their back when you rise into the arena tomorrow?"

"I think a perfect District partner would be an older girl, who isn't totally useless. She'd have skills with a ranged weapon, and be quite strong," he replies. "I would be okay with anyone in my District except for my sisters, Velvet and Paisley,"

"And is there anything you'd like to say to Velvet and Paisley?"  
"Don't worry. I'll be back."

"Confidence is the key!" I say, although I'm fairly certain this boy won't get back home. "Caddis Tweed, everyone!"

He stands up, shakes my hand, and smiles as he walks offstage.

"And now, for our very own Wheatley Farking of District Nine!"

I wait for a while, wondering where the heck the boy is. After a minute or two, the audience starts getting restless, calling out to tell me to "just keep going!" I look over at my film crew, and Demetria nods, giving me the go-ahead to call out Ray Slater.

I do just that. "As it seems, sadly, Wheatley won't be joining us today. Let's call out our next tribute! Ray Slater of District Ten, ride your cowboy horse on out here!"

A young boy clad in a dark green suit walks carefully towards me, smiling shyly. "Hi, Cambria," he says as he sits.  
"Welcome, Ray!" I say.

"Thanks, Cambria," he replies. "How are you today?"

"I'm doing well, thank you," I say. "You?"

"Quite nervous," Ray whispers, suddenly looking dejectedly at the floor. I awkwardly pat his back and he sits up.  
"I'm sorry to hear that," I tell him honestly. "And are there any special girls at home you are hoping to return to?"

He smiles. "Just my dog, Ronnie. She's a cocker spaniel, and I miss her so much, and she's such a good dog,"

"I bet she is. Cocker spaniels are awfully cute."  
"True," Ray says.  
"Ray Slater of District Ten, everyone!" I announce, and help Ray stand up. I smile, and as we shake hands, I whisper in his ear.  
"Best of luck." I whisper. He nods, and smiles at me.

"Next, from the agriculture District, we have… Dyson Summers! Please welcome Dyson to the stage!"  
Dyson walks out towards me, dressed in a sparkling red suit and an equally sparkly black tie. He waves at the audience as he walks, smiling and blowing kisses in the direction of the (nearly empty) District Eleven sponsor box.

"Welcome, Dyson!" I say. "How are you doing today, my friend?"

"Quite well!" he replies. "I'm ready for tomorrow!"

"Ah? I ask, a bit surprised. Eleven isn't really known for producing the strong tributes, but who knows? Maybe this year will be different! "And have you got any allies?"

"I haven't- yet," he says. "I'm planning to ally in the arena, though."

"I see. Strategic! I like that," I reply. "I'm going to ask you the same question I asked Caddis. What do you think a perfect District partner would be like?"  
"Anything, except my girlfriend. Isabella. I'd especially love it if they weren't completely useless, but you know," He shrugs. "Can't win them all."

"Very true," I smile and say. "Best of luck to you, Dyson!"

"Thank you,"

"Last, but certainly not least, from the District known for coal, we have the very exciting Ash Grey!"

Music plays as the 17-year-old from the Mining District walks out from backstage.  
"Welcome, Ash!" I say. "How's your day been?"

"Not particularly great," he replies. "Considering I'm gonna die in a few days, I'm not doing so well,"

"You never know," I try to cheer Ash up. "You do know that there's always a Victor, correct? It could be you,"

"Or it might not be. At any rate, I just wanna thank all the beautiful ladies and handsome gentlemen that are planning on sponsoring me. Thank you!"

I smile as he goes on and on about how thankful he is for the sponsors. "Okay, Ash," I break in after a minute or so of rambling. "Thank you for coming out here!"  
"You bet," he says, standing up. "Bye, Cambria!"

I wave and he walks offstage.

"As you can see, the male tributes in this year's Hunger Games will certainly be ones to watch! But don't go, Panem, I'll see you in ten minutes for the interviews of the female tributes! Until then!"

 **I'm hoping to get the female tributes' interviews up soon-ish (within 2 weeks). After that, I'll be putting up a poll for the interviews. As for now, just review!**

 **Chapter Question: Whose interview, besides your own tribute's, was your favorite?**

 **Have a great day. I'll hopefully see you all soon :)**


	16. Chapter 16: Girls' Interviews

_Cambria Flickerman, Master of Ceremonies_

"Welcome back, Panem! Just a few minutes ago, we heard each of the male tributes in the one-hundredth Games speak about family, friends and even love. Now it's time to interview their female counterparts!" I exclaim, grinning madly. "From the luxurious District One, please welcome our first tribute! Gem Vanderpike, come on out here!"

A beautiful girl with a bob hairstyle dressed in a strapless amber gown trots out to the stage. She wears a silver necklace and bangles and her face is beautifully made-up. I shake her hand and we sit down.  
"Welcome, Gem! How are you this fine night?"

"I'm doing considerably well, Cambria, thanks," Gem says.

"Good," I respond. "And tell me, Gem, what's your favorite thing here in the Capitol?"

"I really enjoy the pastries," she smiles and says. "Donuts, especially. The custard-filled ones are just splendid."

"Ah? And anyone special at home you'd like to say anything to?"

"My friends, Stella, Jade and Pearl." Gem grins sheepishly. "They are the best friends anyone could ask for. I'll see you soon!"

"Confidence is key!" I reply. "Gem Vanderpike, everyone!"

Gem smirks as we stand. I shake her hand once more as she walks off towards the spot where she is to wait.

"Next up, I'm sure you've all heard of this next tribute's parents. Julianna Cobbley, everyone!"

A girl clad in a long royal blue and silver gown struts out confidently from the backstage. She waves as she walks, and the crowd goes wild as she blows a kiss in the direction of her sponsors.

"Welcome, Julianna!" I say, once she's seated.

"Hi, Cambria."

"Tell me, Julianna, about the story of the 87th Hunger Games. That is the year your mother won, yes?"

"Yes, Cambria. That is correct. My mother, Christina Cobbley, was the strongest tribute in her year. She was the top killer that year, with seven kills." she explains. "My father went into the Arena with her, and they were the final two. My mother was horrified to realize that fact, as after the Careers split, they went their separate ways. My mother begged my father to kill her, as they were so deeply in love. He refused, killing himself and crowning Mother the Victor. Three days later, the doctors were running tests on her, and she was found to be pregnant. That baby? Me."

I wipe a fake tear from my eye. "Such a tragedy. Tell me, Julianna, about your name. There are rumors going around, you know,"

"My mother named me Julianna in honor of the female lover in the ancient tragedy _Romeo and Juliet_. The girl and boy, Juliet Capulet and Romeo Montague, came from rival families, but they were madly in love. Star-crossed lovers, if you will. I have a variant of Juliet's name and her initials," Julianna explains.

"Good to know. We wish you the best of luck in the Arena, Julianna!"

"Thanks, Cambria," she says as we shake hands.

"Our next tribute has a very interesting story to tell! Please welcome the young Triode Panem, from District Three!"

A young girl with wild black hair and pallid skin, dressed in a white frilly dress, skips out onto the stage. She smiles gently as she heads towards me, and as she sits, we shake hands.

"Welcome, Triode!"  
"Hi, Cambria! How are you doing today?"

"Quite well, thanks!" I reply. "Tell me, Triode, what is your ideal arena like?

Triode ponders this for a bit before answering. "A factory. I think I'd be able to work well with machines and get some weapon or something,"

The crowd giggles. "And Triode, let's hear about your name," I say. "Panem. What an… unusual surname."

"My mother died in childbirth and my father was killed in a factory accident, the same one that crippled my sister. We- my brothers and sister and I- were sent to work in a factory. The man who owned the factory told us he'd take us in, but he gave us a new last name. Panem. My old surname was Hansen."

The audience murmurs in sympathy for this little twelve-year-old girl who has no parents. I smile at her. "I'm sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, our time is up. Best of luck to you, Miss Triode," I say. "Triode Panem of District Three!"

She smiles sweetly at me as we stand, and walks off towards where Gem and Julianna stand.

"Moving along! From the beautiful sea-bordered District Four, welcome Ashlynn Sheah!" I say.

Another little girl, this one dressed in a dress shirt and dark blue slacks, makes her way towards the interview chairs. I shake her hand, and we sit.

"Welcome, Ashlynn! May I ask how you are doing this fine night?"

"I'm quite nervous," she admits. "I just wish Isla had volunteered."

"Isla?" I ask, confused.

"The Academy's chosen volunteer," Ashlynn explains.

"Ah, I see," I say. "Have you got any allies yet? Surely, a sweet girl like you,"

"I'm allied with Triode and Fable," she admits. "With Triode's brains, Fable's speed, and my survival skills, all we need is some brawn. We're hoping to find allies in our District Partners."

"I think you might be surprised," I say mysteriously. "Ashlynn Sheah, everyone!"

She stands, walking to Triode's side. The two begin to talk.

"Next, from the Power District, we have the very bright Kamata Pavara!"

A tall, blonde girl wearing a yellow dress with wires on it walks delicately outstage. She waves gently as she walks, and we shake hands as she reaches the seat. Kamata sits down across from me and sighs.

"Well, Cambria, what have you heard about me? I'm sure you know I'm quite the pacifist."

"I have heard that, yes. Care to tell why?"

"My brother. It's a long story, really, but I will tell you. So my brother Milo was sixteen when this happened- he's nineteen now. One day, his girlfriend Ambrosia was walking home from school and she was out, like, four minutes after curfew. The Peacekeepers in Five are pretty strict, you see, and they took her into custody when they found her on the streets. She was fed well that night, even allowed a visitor or two, but in the morning, they dragged her out into the street and shot her, right in front of Milo and I as we walked to school. Milo, within a week, lost almost all his mental stability, and we were forced to take him away, to the mental hospital. There's terrible things going on there, and he's being treated really badly. So I vowed not to be like the people at the hospital, and I'm not going to hurt anyone in these Games."

"I see. I'm sorry for your brother, Kamata. Unfortunately, our time is up. Kamata Pavara of District Five, everyone!"

Kamata takes my hand delicately as we stand. I pull her into a hug and whisper in her ear.  
"I'm truly sorry, Kamata."

She nods, smiling sadly as she walks off to the tribute stands.

"Next up, from the far-off District Six, we have the beautiful Ali Wheel!" I announce. A tall girl with light brown hair pulled back into a French braid steps out of the shadows, waltzing toward the seat. I sit her down and we settle into our chairs.

"Welcome, Ali! How are you today, my dear?"

"I'm doing quite well, thank you, Cambria."

"I love your dress, Ali, by the way," I say, motioning to her silver gown. "Very flattering."

"Why, thanks! That idea came from the brilliant brain of my stylist, Aeliana," she says. "Aeliana is, like, the fashion queen, you know, Cambria. She is amazing,"

"I'm very glad," I say. "Tell me, Ali, what would your perfect District partner be like? Strong? Wise? Young?"

"I'd say the perfect partner would be a kind older boy with weapon expertise who's willing to ally," she explains after a moment.

"Well, Ali, I'm quite excited to see you tomorrow! Ali Wheel of District Six!"

She thanks me as we stand and I shake her hand. I'm truly sorry for this girl. She's such a kind soul, and kind souls don't deserve the Hunger Games.

"Now, we have the very caring Forest Rivertree, all the way from District Seven!"

Slow music plays as a short girl with long brown hair wearing a light green one-shoulder dress steps gently onto the stage, as if it were made of thin ice. She walks delicately across the stage to the chair and lowers herself into it. "Hey there, Cambria. How's your day been?"

"I've had a great day, Forest! Yourself?"

"It wasn't particularly great, you must know that by now. I'm going to die in a few days, and I'm sure you can guess it's kind of depressing," she says, looking at her feet.  
"Oh, Forest, you do know there is always a chance you'll win and go back home," I chide. "You could win, you know- I'm not sure what you did at your Private session but whatever it is must have been pretty dang good to get you a seven."

"Aw, thanks, Cambria, but up against Gem and Julianna, and the other Careers, I have literally no chance."

"Don't be so pessimistic. You'll do well, Forest. Best of luck to you!"

She stands, still looking down, and only looks up as she begins to walk off.

"Now, for our very own Lacie Ashdale of District Eight! Come on out, Lacie!" I announce. A lanky girl with dark brown, almost black hair strides out and smiles sexily at me. She's dressed in a long red over-the-shoulder gown that flows to the floor. I beckon for her and she moves quickly to the seat. I grin.

"Welcome, Lacie! How are you today?" I inquire.

"I'm doing pretty dang good, believe it or not. For someone who's gonna die in a day or two, I'm surprisingly calm."

"Oh, Lacie, didn't you listen to the talk I gave Forest? You've got to stay positive!" I exclaim. She sighs, obviously sad.

"I'm not afraid of death, Cambria. I know some of the people here are, but I've accepted my fate."

"Lacie, Lacie, Lacie. Let's move on. What is your favorite thing about the Capitol?" I ask, slightly exasperated. This year has brought some really discouraged girls.

Lacie brightens up a bit. "I love the food. All of it. I haven't yet met a dish I don't like,"

"Yes, our food is quite delectable, isn't it? I'm glad you're enjoying it! Sadly, our time is up. Lacie Ashdale of District Eight!"

Lacie smiles and I wave to her as she makes her way to her spot.

"Our next tribute comes from the amber waves of District Nine's grain! Please welcome Barley Moon!"

Something new welcomes me as Barley walks outstage. Instead of the long, curly locks of red hair she'd worn at the Reaping, Barley's curls have been cut short! I can't say I'm terribly surprised, though, because many a long-haired girl has been grabbed by her hair. It was just a matter of time before a tribute cut theirs.

Barley smiles at the applause she is given. As she reaches the chair, I stand. I shake her hand as we sit, and she makes herself comfortable.

"Welcome, Barley! I love your new hairstyle! And your dress is simply beautiful, too! Your mstylist surely went all-out," I say as I motion to the dress she wears. It's a long gown colored to resemble the grain fields of Nine at night.

"Thanks, Cambria. All of that was my stylist."

"Well, your stylist definitely did a great job! Tell me, Barley, about your strategy in the Arena," I request.

"I want to stay with my ally as long as possible. She's such a kind girl, and I think she'll be able to help the both of us," Barley says.

I surely look confused. No one other than Ashlynn has mentioned allies yet. Who could this sweet girl ally with?

Barley seems to sense my confusion, for she says,

"Kamata. Kamata Pavara. She's so kind and peaceful, like me."

"I could see that alliance making it far! Well, Barley, best of luck to you! I'll look forward to seeing you tomorrow!"

She grins. "Thanks, Cambria!"

"The next tribute is a very special one, as she is one of the youngest in this year's Games. Please welcome Fable Tanner!"

A small brunette girl makes her way outstage, dressed in a pretty yellow dress that slightly poofs out at the bottom. She wears flats of the same color, and has minimal makeup on. She walks out very delicately, with the grace of a dancer. She makes her way to the chairs, and shakes my hand. We sit.

"Well, hello there, Miss Fable! How are you doing on this fine night?"

Fable giggles. "I'm doing pretty good, thanks, Cambria. I'm confident in my ability in the Games."

"Ah? And what are these abilities? Do tell," I press.  
After pondering for a moment, Fable says, "Well, I'm a pretty good climber and swimmer. I'm also pretty fast." She looks quite pleased with herself, and I realize that what Fable just revealed could be a game-changer if the Careers find her. They know her strengths, now they just need to figure out her weaknesses.

"I see! Fable, what is your ideal District partner like?"

"I was hoping you'd ask!" she laughs. "I would like to see a kind and cheerful boy with some expertise on weapons. Someone who would be capable of allying with Triode and Ashlynn and I."

I nod. "Great. Fable, we're all glad you could be here tonight! Enjoy yourself!" I say. She smiles at me as we stand.

She walks away as I call out the tribute of District Eleven. "From the fields of the humid District Eleven, please give a warm welcome to Angel Ravenwood!"

A tall girl with dark hair wrapped in a bun on her head strides confidently from the shadows. She's dressed in a long, pretty dress made of synthetic ice. She takes my hand as we sit, and I smile at her.

"Welcome, Angel! How are you today?"

The girl smiles, almost sassily, saying, "Well enough, Cambria. You're doing pretty well, I'm guessing?"

"Yup. And Angel, tell me about your family," I request. You stepped forward and volunteered for a certain Petunia Ravenwood; your sister? Cousin?"

Angel looks down at her lap. "My little sister. She never would've survived the Games, because she's too scared and childish. I love her so much."

"Ah? And do you have any other family, Angel?" I inquire.

She frowns. "My parents were brutally murdered by Peacekeepers. Here's the kicker- they had no reason. The Peacekeepers kill people almost daily, and that day it was my parents' turn."

"I'm sorry to hear that, my dear. Angel Ravenwood!" I proclaim. "Best of luck to you!"

Angel smirks as she walks off to the Tribute Stands. As soon as she's over to her spot, I call the last tribute out.

"Rose Aster of District Twelve! Come on out, my dear!"

An average-height, olive-skinned girl comes out from the shadows. She's dressed in a long, sparkly black dress and heels. Her mid-back-length, black hair is curled to perfection and she smiles as she walks out.

"Welcome, Rose!" I say once she's all the way to the chair.

"Thank you, Cambria! I'm so excited to be here!" she gushes. "I love the Capitol so much, and the food is delicious, and the showers are literally perfect."

"I know, the showers are pretty great, aren't they?" The audience laughs at that. They are, though!

"Yes, ma'am." Rose says, and I chuckle.

"No need for such formality, my dear. Tell me, Rose, if you were to be stranded on a deserted island, who would be by your side?"

"My sister, Melia," is the immediate response. "She and I are really close and I would never want to leave her."

"How sweet! One more question for you, Rose: what is your perfect District partner?"  
She looks quite nervous, and I'm not quite sure why. It's a simple question. Rose finally answers me, saying, "A sweet guy who reminds me of Melia, or someone who I could ally with." She looks quite pleased at that answer.

"I see! Well, Rose, I wish you the best of luck in the Games! Rose Aster, everyone!"

As Rose makes her way to her spot next to Angel, she waves at the audience. I wrap up the interviews, saying, "Well, Panem, now you've met all the female tributes! Tributes, best of luck to you tomorrow. Panem, have a good night and don't forget to tune in tomorrow for the start of the 100th annual Hunger Games! Enjoy yourselves, Panem. Be kind to one another."

 **Yes, I did just steal Ellen DeGeneres' catchphrase.**

 **At any rate, this chapter is finally out! I'm so pumped for the Games! Also, sorry it took so long. I blame gymnastics :(**

 _ **LE IMPORTANTE MESSAGE**_

 **There is a new poll up on my profile. Go vote! Vote for your favorite tributes, and the one with highest votes will be guaranteed IMMUNITY IN THE BLOODBATH.**

 **Chapter Question: Whose interview, besides your own tribute's, was your favorite?**

 **Chapter Question 2: Should I make a launch chapter? If I do, it'll likely be really short (500 words, give or take a few). I'd likely get that one out super fast, because it'll be a short chapter. If not, you'd have to wait a bit longer, because then I'd include the launch in the Bloodbath.**

 **I will see you soon. Don't forget to review, and go vote in the poll!**


	17. Chapter 17: The Launch

**Enjoy the Launch chapter!  
**

 _Triode Panem POV (District 3 Female, age 12)_

 _A tall girl chases me through the forest, armed with a machete. She is trailed by a muscular giant of a boy, so muscular, in fact, that I've deduced the two are Careers. I dart through the trees, running as fast as my legs can possibly take me.  
Then, the worst possible thing happens. I trip on a root. Tumbling to the ground, I scream in despair.  
"Fable! Ashlynn! HELP!" I yell. I know that even with all three of us, we'd have no chance against two huge, trained Careers. I'm dead, and I know it. _

_The girl crouches down. Her auburn hair frames her pale face and I realize who she is. Gem Vanderpike, the girl tribute from District One._

" _Triode, is it?" she asks._

 _I open my mouth, but no sound comes out. I nod. "Well, Triode, you never stood a chance. Bye, honey."_

 _My eyes grow even wider than they already were. I find my words. "Please, please don't kill me! I have a family and a life and-"_

" _You don't think I have a family, and a life, for myself? Please. Give it up, kid. I'm gonna kill you." Gem sneers. I whimper as she raises up her machete and-_

"Triode! Wake up!" The voice of my escort, Adorabella, splits through the room. "It's a big, big day, dear!"

"Ugggh," I groan. I roll over in bed. That's when I realize what day it is.  
The day of the Games.

Adorabella walks over to the bed. She rips the sheets off my body, exposing me to the cold air. "Get up, Triode! The Peacekeepers should be here in fifteen minutes to escort you to the Launch Room!"

I groan again and swing my legs over the side of the bed. "I'm up, Adorabella. You should maybe leave, so I can take a shower?"

Adorabella looks at me. "I suppose. I'll be back in ten minutes." She walks out of the room.

I stand up, and walk to the dresser. I grab a soft flannel shirt and a pair of black leggings, then head to the bathroom. Turning on the shower, I place the clothes on the counter and strip my nightgown off. I step into the shower once I'm sure it's warmed up.

I just stand there for ten or so minutes, thinking. What could possibly happen? I could die in a few hours, I could live for a few more days only to succumb to hunger, thirst or injury, I could make it to the finale and-

 _Don't think like that._

I am snapped back to reality by Adorabella's shrill voice, and a rap on the door. I sigh and turn off the water.

"What is it, Adorabella?"

"Triode, dear, it's time to get out! The Peacekeepers should be here any moment!"

I roll my eyes. "Okay, Adorabella."

I wait for the footsteps to recede down the hall, and then I turn off the shower and get out. I walk into the giant contraption that dries my hair and skin in a matter of seconds. Once the loud roar of the machine dies down, I step out the door, slip the flannel shirt over my head and pull on the leggings.

I walk down the hall to the main room where Adorabella and my mentor, Skype, are. Adorabella sees me coming and hurries to stand from the table where the two were dining.

"There are Peacekeepers ready to take you to the Launch Room, Triode!" she exclaims, like it's the greatest news I'd ever hear in my life.

I nod. "Okay, can I grab a bagel?"

"There should be food, water, clothes and anything else you need in the Launch Room," Skype breaks in.

"Thank you," I say politely. I really want to run up to Skype and hug her, just hug her, but of course I don't.

A knock at the door alerts Adorabella that the Peacekeepers are getting impatient, and she nudges me towards the large metal door. I open the door, and four Peacekeepers surround me. I look over at Skype and Adorabella, and there must be fear in my eyes because Skype gives me a reassuring smile. I smile back, and I am whisked away by the Peacekeepers.

 _Caddis Tweed POV (District 8 Male, age 17)_

The food in the Stockyard is delicious. My mouth waters as I stick another strawberry tart into it and chew quickly, like some sort of animal. I take a big swig of milk.

A knock sounds at the door and in walks my stylist, Neptune. He smiles a grim smile as he walks in.

"Caddis. Enjoying the food?"

"It's delectable. Is it time?"

"Just about. I need you to put these on." he says as he hands me a tee shirt and jeans, a baggy, long-sleeved jacket, a pair of boxers, and a pair of tall, tan boots that lace up the front.

I nod, walking to the small restroom in the corner. I pull off my shirt and replace it with the black, lightweight tee shirt Neptune gave me. I yank off my pants and boxers and replace them with the new pair of boxers and the jeans.

As I am walking to the center of the small Stockyard room, Neptune pulls something from his pocket. He spins it around in his hand, then when I reach him, hands it to me. I realize what it is- the odd copper-colored coin my friend gave me as a toke. It's now threaded on a piece of leather string and I hang it around my neck.

"Shoes?" Neptune asks. _Oh yeah, I almost forgot_. I sit down, take off my previous pair of sneakers, and shove on the boots. Lacing them up takes time because the boots are so tall.

In the meantime, Neptune pulls a paper from his jacket. _Where does he get all that space in his pockets?!_ Neptune unfolds the paper and holds it up. It's a large 8, taking up the whole sheet of paper. He pins the number onto the jacket and as I stand up, he holds it out to me.

"One minute to launch. Please enter your tubes." a pleasant female voice announces over the loudspeaker.

I take the jacket from Neptune and put it on, then step into my tube. As soon as I do, I begin to hyperventilate. _It's about time,_ I think. I have absolutely no idea how I've stayed so calm for so long.

The door closes around me and the voice says, "Thirty seconds to launch. Please enter your tubes." I close my eyes and begin to count down in my head from thirty to one.

"Ten seconds to launch."

"Five. Four. Three. Two. One."

The tube rises up and I take a deep breath. I open my eyes and am blinded by light.

It takes a few minutes for my eyes to adjust. When they do, I whip my head back and forth, trying to get my bearings. I close my eyes, open them again and get a good look at the Arena. Sand lays at my feet, a huge silver horn to the direct front of me. I look around back behind me, and realize there is no water to be seen.

It's a desert.

 **AAAAAH THE BLOODBATH IS ALMOST HERE!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am actually quite proud of it.**

 **Okay, shoutout time. I think this awesome guy (girl…?) deserves a shoutout. They just posted a new SYOT called Altar of Blood. You all should go check it out. I got a tribute in the story and I'm super pumped for it. You won't be disappointed.**

 **SHOUTOUT GOES TO: ZJB3 and their story Altar of Blood.**

 **Poll is still open. Go vote :)**

 **Chapter Question: What do you think of the Arena? It might sound bland now, but trust me, it's got its quirks. ;)**

 **Anyway, enjoy your day (night…?) and have a great one! Thanks for reading.**


	18. Chapter 18: The Bloodbath

_Aemilia Trogus POV, Capitol Citizen age 14_

My friends and I walk down the street, towards the theater. Helvia and Junia walk right next to me, while Grace trails behind. We're going to the theater to watch a live showing of the Bloodbath. Of course, we all have TV's, but it's more fun to watch kids die on a big screen than it is at home.

"Are you all excited?" Junia asks.

"Of course!" Helvia and I chorus. We all look back to see what Grace's response is.

'Well? Are you excited or what, Grace?"

She meekly nods. Grace is really shy, but she's also really smart. She's a great resource for math notes and language rules. We turn back around.

"Well, here we are!" I say as we reach the theater. Junia jumps up and down, while Helvia tries to calm her down. Grace hangs behind us, and I grab her hand to pull her to the line with us. The only thing showing right now is the Bloodbath, so hopefully there won't be too long of lines.

I pull out a fifty-dollar bill, and my friends do the same. We start to talk about who we're rooting for.

"So, guys, who have you sponsored this year?" I ask.

Helvia responds first. "Barley," she says without hesitation. "Barley and Leif."

"Really?" I ask, wrinkling my nose. "Barley's such a weakling. I sponsored Julianna, myself."

Grace speaks up for the first time. "I'm sponsoring Cobalt and Triode." That's no surprise, because Grace is always really attached to the Threes. I don't really know why. They almost never win.

Junia looks at me. "I put my money on Dyson, you know, the hot guy from 11? He's smoking," she giggles.

Helvia groans. "Ugh, boy-crazy Junia strikes again."

Grace points to the theater. "Look, we're almost to the front of the line."

I look up, surprised. The manager must have had to employ, like, 20 extra people just to deal with the surplus during the Quell. They're sure getting their job done, though.

The man behind the counter beckons for us to step forward. "How many?" he asks.

I hold up four fingers. The man nods. "100 dollars, please."

Junia and Helvia hand the man their bills. He rips off four tickets from the roll in front of him, and hands them to Grace.  
"Enjoy the show, ladies!" he says as we walk off to get popcorn.

I hold out my fifty-dollar bill and ask, "So, girls, what do ya'll want to eat?"

"I'll buy drinks," Grace pipes up.

Helvia nods. "I'd like cheddar popcorn and cola, myself."

Everyone decides on their food, and after we buy it, we go take a seat in the theater. Commercials are playing, but they stop within five minutes.

"They're starting!" Junia whispers.

The Arena this year is sandy and bleak. It has cacti, and I can see from the map in the top left corner of the screen that there's a village in the corner. The countdown starts, and the screen pans the Arena.

I was right. In one corner of the Arena lies a village. There are cacti scattered around in small numbers, and there are a few dead bushes. There's a small well near the village, and in the opposite corner of the village, there is a tall pyramid.

All this took about seconds to show. The screen flashes back to the ring of tributes, standing in a huge circle around the big silver Cornucopia. The numbers appear on the screen, and with each number, a different tribute flashes in the background. Angel. Ray. Cobalt. Gem. Wheatley. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

The gong rings, and pandemonium breaks out.

All the tributes, save the girl from 12, run towards the huge horn. The Careers are the first ones to arrive, and I see Leif pass Meris a trident. Gem hands Julianna a machete and scoops up a handful of throwing stars.

The girl from District Eleven runs straight into the Cornucopia. The boy from One swipes a sword straight across her chest and she falls to the floor, dead. Idiot.

The next casualty is the boy from 10. He and his little ally, Chris, are running away with packs when Gem appears out of nowhere. She runs up behind Ray and drags the blade of a throwing star across his throat in a jagged line. She then tosses a knife into the back of the other boy.

Julianna is shown running across the sand towards the girls from 3, 4, and 10. I can see Grace tense up out of the corner of my eye, and then Helvia places a hand on her shoulder. Grace releases the tension.

The older girl is gaining on the three younger ones, and then out of nowhere, a pond of water pops up. _Wait, what?!_ Julianna falls in and the little girls dash away, after Fable picks up a small bag to add to their list of supplies.

Julianna is thrashing in the water, and I can see why. Her _flesh_ is being _burned off._ The pond is full of acid! She finally goes still and the mass of bone and blood that used to be a girl floats to the bottom of the pond. The pond suddenly dries up.

There's a feeling in the room, one of disappointment. I have a hunch that about half the theater was rooting for Julianna, as she was the trained daughter of a Victor.

The screen flashes to show the boy from Five. He's running away from the Cornucopia. Just as he runs past the pedestals, a girl jumps out at him. It's the girl from 6. She's armed with a dagger, and though Jordan is taken by surprise, Ali's blade misses Jordan's throat. He and the girl begin to spar.

Jordan makes the next move. He jabs his blade, and barely misses Ali's stomach. She's off guard and Jordan takes that moment to grab her and slit her throat. Ali falls, and the boy from 5 covers his mouth in disbelief. He just killed someone.

Thankfully for Jordan, the shock wears off fast, and he picks up the pack from Ali's back and her knife. He continues to run.

Caddis Tweed from 8 is shown fighting the boy from 9. Wheatley's armed with a scythe and Caddis holds a sword. Wheatley's blade is really just waving in the air with no real target, while his body weaves in and out of the blade of the other boy.

Then, something unexpected happens. Caddis' blade impales Wheatley's stomach, and Wheatley's blade slices Caddis' throat. The boys both fall.

The last death is a surprise. Cobalt Days from Three runs back into the Cornucopia, armed with a machete. He runs straight into the Career group, pulling Leif from Two out of the group. As the boy from Three tries desperately to jab Leif with his machete, Leif swings his sword at Cobalt's head. Cobalt slumps to the ground. Leif gives the camera a giddy smile, like that of a three-year-old with ice cream, and runs off to join his allies.

We girls exchange smiles. This was an awesome outing. Grace looks down at her ticket and reads off the information, just to make sure our time was up.

"Bloodbath and four hours of Day One."

Wait, we get to stay longer? Awesome! I settle back into my seat and watch as the screen goes dark. Commercial breaks. Ugh.

 **Oh, I know. Short (and probably really badly written) chapter, don't kill me. I really just wanted to get this out today. I will do Eulogies, too, when the tributes die. So, well, I have like nothing to say… Eulogy time.**

 **24th place: Angel Ravenwood, D11 Female, stabbed by Wonder Marquise**

 **Angel was a joke tribute. I never particularly liked her, and she was always my 24th place. She had a lot of Katniss-like qualities, so she wasn't really liked either. Thank you to santiago. poncini20 for Angel, and thank you for submitting her as a Bloodbath.**

 **23rd place: Ray Slater, D10 Male, throat slit by Gem Vanderpike**

 **Ray was kind of forgettable, but he was really a great tribute. He was a great friend to Chris and he added a bit of innocence to the Games. I liked him lots, and it kills me to kill him off. Thank you to Annabeth13 Chase for Ray, and thank you for submitting him as a Bloodbath.**

 **22nd place: Chris Pine, D6 Male, killed by a throwing knife by Gem Vanderpike**

 **Like Ray, Chris was forgettable. Also like Ray, he was a sweet kid who didn't deserve the horrors of the Games. I really liked Chris. He and Ray will be missed. #FriendsToTheEnd Thank you to catnip815 for Chris, and thank you for submitting him as a Bloodbath.**

 **21st place: Julianna Cobbley, D2 Female, skin melted off in an acidic pond**

 **Julianna was a bloodbath at the very last minute. I'm sure none of you expected her death, but it was quite essential to introduce the ponds, which will play quite a big part in the story. She was a capable Victor but she wouldn't fit the storyline. Thank you to Ligitnarz for Julianna, and I'm sorry for killing her early.**

 **20th place: Ali Wheel, D6 Female, stabbed by Jordan Clarke**

 **Ali was mine, never destined to make it past the Bloodbath. I grew to like her as she progressed, and I wished I could keep her alive. Alas, it was not to be. Poor Ali.**

 **19th place: Wheatley Farking, D9 Male, impaled by Caddis Tweed**

 **Wheatley was also mine. I kinda regret killing him, mainly because a scared, completely unprepared, oblivious tribute could add to the story, but it wouldn't be fair to the others. I'll miss you.**

 **18th place: Caddis Tweed, D8 Male, throat cut by Wheatley Farking**

 **Caddis was a submitted Bloodbath. I did like him, a lot. I wish I didn't kill him now, but what's done is done (AKA I am not rewriting the chapter D:) Caddis was really something, and I'm glad to have the privilege of writing for him. Thank you to On the Tide for Caddis, and thank you for submitting him as a Bloodbath.**

 **17th place: Cobalt Days, D3 Male, sword blow from Leif**

 **Wiz, I loved this guy. He was a great antagonist, and I feel really bad for asking you to make him into a bloodbath. As a small condolence, he was killed in the way you wanted…? He was a great character, and he was a pleasure to write. Thank you Wiz (I'm not writing your full name) for Cobalt, and thank you for submitting him as a Bloodbath.**

 **Okay guys, I hope you enjoyed the bloodbath. I killed off quite a lot of tributes, I know, but the 74th Games bloodbath killed off, like, 11, so I hope you're not mad. There is an alliance list below, (idea stolen from Wiz again :)), and the chapter question is right below that.**

 _ **Bold means alive**_

 **Wonder  
Gem  
**Julianna **  
Leif  
Meris**

 **Ashlynn  
Triode  
Fable**

Ali **  
Lacie**

Chris  
Ray

Angel

Caddis

 **Barley**

Wheatley

Cobalt

 **Benedikt**

 **Forest**

 **Kamata**

 **Dyson**

 **Jordan**

 **Ash**

 **Rose**

 **Chapter Question: What do you think about the ponds? Do you like them? I know they're not very realistic, but… ignore that?**

 **Have a great day, all!**


	19. Chapter 19: Day 1, Part 2

_Lacie Ashdale POV (District 8 Female, age 16)_

* * *

I'm running through the desert, the hot sun beating down on my head and making me sweat. I really hate sweating, it's really gross and it makes me smell bad.

Eight cannons have gone off since I started running, and I really don't want to be the next, so I keep running until I can't anymore. The adrenaline has worn off, and now I just want water.

I decide I'm probably far enough from the Cornucopia, and sit down on the sand. I open the pack I snatched from the Cornucopia before running away. Inside, I find a small knife, an estimated ten feet of rope, an apple, some beef jerky, and a small metal water bottle.

Water! I twist the cap off the bottle, and tip it up toward my lips. No water comes out. My heart drops. I bring the bottle back down, and pick the knife up off the sand.

The knife's a nice thing, with a pretty metal blade and a short black handle. Unfortunately, I have literally no experience with a knife- or anything for that matter. I guess I could throw it, but it's not a throwing knife. Plus, then I'd be weaponless. I suppose I'll have to use it as it's supposed to be used: as a close-combat weapon, for slitting throats and maybe dealing small amounts of damage.

Just then, I hear a noise. I grab the knife and jump to my feet, just as a tall boy emerges from behind a cactus, arms up.

"Well, who do we have here?" My voice sounds a bit funny, maybe from the lack of water, or maybe just nerves.

"I don't want a fight," the boy says. I size him up- he's a tall, olive-skinned boy with dark hair and gray eyes. He has some muscle on his arms. He's dressed in exactly the same clothes as I am- a baggy jacket, which in afterthought I should have taken off by now, a black shirt, and jeans.

"Who are you?" I ask. I have a sneaking suspicion this is the boy from Twelve, based solely on appearance.

"Ash Grey, District Twelve. You?"

 _Called it._ "I'm Lacie Ashdale, District Eight."

"Well, Lacie, I really don't want to jump too far ahead of myself, but it looks like we're kind of in a pickle. I don't know anything about you- heck, I didn't even know you existed until five minutes ago. The Capitol wants us to fight, our families want us to ally, and I'm supposing you don't want either."

"I wouldn't mind a friend in this Arena, actually," I say. "My previous ally died in the bloodbath. I'm not fighting you, so we could either ally or truce. Take your pick."

Ash ponders this for a minute. "I think it would be in our best interests to ally. I see you have a water bottle, and judging by your physical appearance, it was probably empty when you found it. I know where we can find water, but I'm not going to tell you until I know I can trust you. What have you got that can benefit me?"

"I have a knife. I don't know if that'll do any good, but…" I say as I hold up my knife.

Ash's face lights up. "Actually, that's perfect!" he says.

I smile. "Well, I'll give you this then. You'll be in charge of the defense if anyone attacks. Where can we find water?"

"There's these cacti here. Watch." Ash pulls an axe from his backpack and begins to hack away at the cactus he'd been hiding behind. When the top part of the cactus falls to the ground, Ash motions for me to grab my bottle. I do so, and walk to the cactus. I peer into the stem, fully expecting to see a green mass of, well, _cactus_ , but instead I see water! My first reaction is to stick my head in the cactus and drink, but I force myself to casually smile at Ash, who grins proudly. I then dip the bottle in the cactus and bring it to my lips. The water tastes good, not like normal water, but instead with a bit of a natural, herby taste. I pass Ash the bottle and he drinks.

"How did you know that was a thing?" I ask.

Ash laughs. "I was walking around, and I slammed my axe into a cactus, frustrated about the current situation. When I pulled the axe back out, the cactus started to leak." He looks quite proud, and I can't blame him. To discover that big of an advantage by accident is very cool.

"Speaking of axes, are you any good with them? I literally can't do anything with it. If we got in a fight, I'd probably just chop my own leg off," he chuckles.

"I'm decent," I say.

Wordlessly, Ash passes me the axe. I accept.

"Let's go find somewhere to stay. We should make camp." I say.

Ash nods. "Sounds good." And with that, we walk off into the distance.

* * *

 _Meris Pisces POV (District 4 Male, age 18)_

* * *

The Bloodbath has ended. Leif, Wonder, and the girl from One stand in the Cornucopia with me, rooting through weapons and food and water bottles.

Leif calls me over. "Hey, Meris, d'you know what this is?" he asks, holding up something resembling a Frisbee. I'm quite positive that it isn't a Frisbee, though. Leif hands me the thing. I hold it up to the light, then tap my finger against the edge. Pain shoots through the tip of it. I look down at my hand, and see crimson blood emerging from a cut on my finger.

"Well, whatever it is, it's flipping sharp!" I say. "Feels like it'd slice someone's head clean off. You should get, like, a guard for it, though."  
Leif nods, pleased. "I'll hold onto it. I think this is my new weapon,"

Wonder holds up a sleek silver bow and a quiver of arrows. The girl from One, the only female in the group, picks up a bowgun and darts. I grab a trident.

I sit down on a box. "Well, everyone, should we introduce ourselves? I don't think any of us have had the pleasure of meeting you yet," I say as I motion to the girl from One.

The others nod. Leif leans against the wall of the Cornucopia, Wonder sits, and the girl stands.

"Gem Vanderpike, District One. Nine in training. I like to use throwing stars and poisoned darts."

"Did you get any kills, miss 'nine-in-training'?" Leif asks, almost accusingly.

"Two. The boys from Six and Ten." Gem replies, chill and collected even though Leif basically just mocked her.

"Impressive." I say. "I think you'll be a valuable asset to our team. Welcome."

Gem nods. "Who are you?" she asks, directing the question at Leif. He seems to get the point.

"Leif Gemmite, District Two. I got a ten in training. One kill, so far. I prefer swords, though this Frisbee thing looks right up my alley."

"Neat-o. I'm Wonder Marquise, District One. Nine in training. One kill, the girl from Eleven." Wonder says. "I actually have pretty good aim, so this bow is my friend."

"That leaves me. I'm Meris Pisces. I got a five in training, but only because the Gamemakers didn't like my act. District Four, and I like tridents and explosives. I haven't gotten any kills, yet, but just wait." I say.

"Gem, where's the girls from Two and Four? Weren't they Careers?" Wonder asks.

"Ashlynn, from Four, is definitely not a Career. She's thirteen and weak, for crying out loud! I don't know where Julianna is though. She was strong," is the response.

"Oh. Okay. Well, shall we go hunting?" Leif asks, yawning.

"Yeah." I say. "Let's go!"

Gem looks at me skeptically. "Wait up. You didn't get any kills, did you?"

I shake my head. "So what?"  
"So maybe you should stay behind and guard our stuff. Personally, I don't think that it's fair that you'd get to go hunting if you don't prove yourself to be a Career. Especially since you only got a _five_." Gem points out.

Leif nods. "Sorry, Meris, Gem's right on this one. Stay here. Guard the supplies. Kill anyone who comes into your sight." And with that, he grabs his Frisbee thing and a sword, slings a pack of water bottles over his shoulder, and motions for the others to follow. I sit down on a box and sigh. _This'll be a long couple hours._

* * *

 _Rose Aster POV (District 12 Female, age 16)_

* * *

The Careers have left. I poke my head out from behind the cactus I'm hiding behind, looking for anyone and making sure I'm alone.

At first, I thought running away from the Bloodbath would be a good idea, but then I realized how quickly I'd be killed if I don't get a weapon, or how fast I'd dehydrate without water, and all the other ways I could die. So after the fighting subsided, I ran back over here and hid behind a cactus. I guess just running in there and maybe getting killed would have been a better plan than this.

I take a deep breath. The Careers will be back soon. I need to go now.

Then, I race out from behind my cactus, my legs propelling me forward faster than ever before. I make it into the Cornucopia, and then I realize something.

I fudged up, big time. There's still a boy in there!

The boy stands, a grim smile on his face.

"Well, well. Who have we here? Are you trying to steal our supplies?" he asks.

I open my mouth to speak, but no sound comes out. I close my mouth and shake my head.

"Oh, really? I'm not sure I believe that. I'm going to have to kill you, you know that."

I find my voice. "Please, don't kill me. I'm not a threat, it wouldn't do you any harm to just hand me a pack and send me off-"

"I'm sorry, I'm going to have to kill you. The others wouldn't let me go hunting, just because I didn't get any kills in the Bloodbath. If I don't kill you now, I'd be killed myself."

He picks up his trident from the ground, taking stance to plunge it into my chest. I close my eyes.

A sharp pain fills my chest. I fall to the ground, and my eyes open. I look up into the face of my killer.

 _I love you, Melia. I love you, Mom. I'm sorry._

BOOM.

* * *

 _Fable Tanner POV (District Ten Female, age 12)_

* * *

"Triode, can we _please_ stop walking? We need to set up camp before the Anthem plays. We don't even know what's in our bags yet!" Ashlynn begs. I nod.

"Oh, fine," Triode sighs. "I guess so."

I immediately drop to the ground in an overly dramatic fashion. Ashlynn giggles, and Triode rolls her eyes.

"What did you guys get in your bags?" Triode asks. She pulls her own bag off her shoulders as we sit in a circle.

Ashlynn goes first. "An apple. Two water bottles, probably empty judging by the weight. A first aid kit. And a pair of gloves. Triode?"

Triode picks up her satchel and opens it. "A knife, a small fire-starting kit, a flashlight, and a bottle of pain-relief pills." All eyes go to me.

I unzip my pack and rummage through it. A dagger, some crackers, a box of matches, twine, and a small book.

I hold up the book. "What's this?"

Triode snatches it from my hands. She reads the title and gasps. "Only the most important thing in the arena! Look, it's a guide to surviving in the desert!"

"Woah!" Ashlynn yelps, eyes wide. "Guys, this is awesome! We actually have a chance!"

I grab the book back from Triode. Opening to the page marked " _Finding Water_ ", I read off the words on the page. "Blahdy, blahdy. Rain. Yeah, good luck with that. Blahdy blahdy… ah, here we go! 'A good source of water is the cacti. Take an axe and chop off part of the stem. Inside the cactus, there should be a small amount of cactus water. This water is perfectly safe to drink, even without purification tablets.'"

"We don't have an axe," Triode says, looking dejected.

"But we do have this!" Ashlynn shoots back, struggling to lift a long sword blade. "I got this at the Cornucopia. I bet it'll work!"

We all work together to pick up the blade, careful not to cut our hands. We locate a nearby cactus and begin to saw away at its stem. It takes a while, but eventually, the top part of the cactus falls off the body. We cheer and pick up our water bottles to fill them up.

Triode takes the first drink. "It tastes good," she says. "Almost like a leaf."

I'm next. I bring the bottle to my lips, and the sweet liquid flows through my mouth and down my throat. _Mmmmm._

I wipe my mouth and pass the bottle to Ashlynn. She drinks. When she's screwed the bottle cap back on, we exchange high fives.

The anthem begins to play a few seconds later, startling us. The first face to show is the girl from Two.

"Oh my gosh. Did that pond kill her?!" Ashlynn blurts. I shush her, still looking at the sky. The next face is a boy, evidently from Three based on the number in the background of his picture. Triode's face falls. "He was all I had of home," she whispers. I put my arm around her awkwardly.

Next is the face of a small boy, one from Six. None of us knew him. His partner is next to appear, Ali Wheel. After Ali's face fades, the boy from Eight appears. He looks like he was a fierce competitor, as he was pretty muscled. I wonder if he wounded a Career. The next is the boy from Nine. Again, none of us knew him.

I hold my breath as the next face appears. _Oh my gosh, Ray?_ I knew that kid! He was in my math class at school. We didn't talk much, but he seemed nice enough. I feel like I'm about to cry. Ashlynn puts her arm around me.

The next picture is of the Eleven girl. I never really liked her, as she seemed pretty stuck-up.

One last face shows, the one of the girl from Twelve. I gasp. She was nice, and we'd considered asking her to join us many times. The anthem's closing notes play and the seal of Panem shows.

"I'll take first watch," Ashlynn offers. Triode and I nod, sliding to the ground. Almost right as my head hits the sand, I'm asleep.

* * *

 **OH MY GOSH THAT TOOK SO LONG. I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED IT CAUSE I'M NOT REWRITING IT :))))**

 **I really hope you guys liked this chapter. Do leave a review, I love seeing them and they boost my morale so I can write faster. Chapter questions right under the death list and Rose's Eulogy.**

 **...I have literally nothing to say.**

 **16th place: Rose Aster, D12 Female: Stabbed by Meris with a trident.**

 **Rose was a great tribute. She wasn't mary-sue (*COUGHangelCOUGH*) and she was a pleasure to write. Unfortunately, she was never my Victor. She simply wasn't strong enough mentally or physically. I really did like her though. Thank you, catnip851, for Rose.**

 _ **Bold means alive**_

 **Wonder  
Gem  
**Julianna **  
Leif  
Meris**

 **Ashlynn  
Triode  
Fable**

Ali **  
Lacie**

 **Ash**

Chris  
Ray

Angel

Caddis

 **Barley**

Wheatley

Cobalt

 **Benedikt**

 **Forest**

 **Kamata**

 **Dyson**

 **Jordan**

Rose

 **Chapter Question: Favorite POV?**


	20. Chapter 20: Day 2, Part 1

_Kamata Pavara POV (District Five Female, age 17)_

It's sweltering in the arena. Barley and I are walking through the desert, chatting about home.

"What do you do at home?" I ask, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"I'm a grain harvester. I use these things to cut down grain and corn in the fields. Don't worry, though, I won't use it to chop off your head." She pauses. "Probably."

We giggle, and I know that in that moment I trust this girl. It's probably a really foolish choice to trust a girl I've known for a week at best, but oh well. At least I'll go out quick if she kills me- I figure she won't drag it out. She's not sadistic and bloodthirsty like the Careers.

"So, what do you do?" Barley asks me.

I smile at the mention of home. "I work in a power plant, and I babysit in my spare time. I love working with kids." My face falls when I think of Milo. "Sometimes I volunteer at the asylum."

Barley touches my arm. "That's right, your brother lives there. I'm sorry, Kamata."

"Why is everyone sorry? Condolences won't make anything better! He's good as dead unless he can pull himself back together, you know. What's done is done!" I snap.

Jerking back her arm, Barley stops walking. "Oh. I had no idea you were so… passionate. I won't apologize for things that are out of my control."

"Thanks." I sigh. "Barley, thanks. For everything. You've been so kind and supportive, and I can't thank you enough. I'm glad I'll die by your side and not in vain."

"Well, don't thank me yet! You never know, I could die first, or mutts or Careers could kill us both, or any number of other things could happen."

"You know, you're too pessimistic. You could really benefit from some positive thinking now and again." I point out.

She nods, taking a breath. "Sorry, Kamata. Let's keep walking."

I nod. "Good idea." We take off into the desert, not talking for a while.

Eventually, Barley breaks the silence. "I'm hungry. What's in your bag?"

We stop, our legs folding under us as we plop onto the sand. I pull my bag off my shoulders. Rummaging through it, I pull out a bag of crackers, an apple, a water bottle- presumably empty- and a small first-aid kit.

"Not a ton, but there's these crackers. You can have those, and I'll eat the apple." I say, holding the crackers out towards Barley. She accepts them and immediately stuffs a cracker in her mouth.

"Woah, Nellie!" I laugh. "Don't eat them all! We only have the apple after those are gone, and I don't know if there'll be any other food sources."

She nods, crumbs falling down her chin. I smile.

Once we're done eating, Barley stands up. "I feel really bad about not getting a lot at the Bloodbath, Kamata. I only got this sickle, and you got a whole bag, and a knife, too."

"Don't feel bad. We're allies. We help each other out." I reply. "Plus, you pay me back by defending me."  
"True." she replies.

I stand up and point in a direction far from the Cornucopia. "Let's go that way. I think I see something in the distance." I say, squinting. If I focus really hard and tilt my head, I can just make out the shape of a well!

Barley nods. "I see that too. Shall we go?"

I shoulder my satchel and grab my small pocketknife, and Barley bends down to scoop up her sickle. With that, we set off into the searing mid-day sun.

 _Gem Vanderpike POV (District One Female, age 18)_

Last night's hunt was crazy. We found a decapitated cactus and a small well (which was good for filling up our water bottles). At one point, this random lake materialized out of the sand in the ground and when Leif dipped his hand in to fill up his water, it pretty much burned off his flesh. He started jumping around, hopping up and down and cursing until we calmed him down with a promise of first aid.

All that, and no tributes. We returned to the Cornucopia after the acid melted Leif's hand, and there we found Meris on a box, his trident red with blood and a lock of dark brown hair in his hand. He said he got the girl from Twelve, and sure enough, her face was the last one in the sky that night.

The funny thing is that the first face to show up was Julianna's. Of all people, I would have thought she would make it far. The other casualties weren't very remarkable- the only standout is that all three of the Tiny Trio are still alive. I'd have thought at least one would die in the Bloodbath.

I look around the Cornucopia. Leif's still sitting in his corner, nursing his hand, Meris is playing with _something,_ and Wonder is asleep. I stand up.

"I'm gonna go get some cactus water. Stay alive."

Leif chuckles as I make my way out of the Cornucopia, armed with an axe. I trudge over to the nearest cactus and begin to chop at its body. _Whack. Whack. Whack._ When the top finally drops to the ground, I plunge my bottle into the cool water inside the cactus. I rip a bit of the fleshy stem out of the body of the cactus and stick it in my mouth. It's got a funky taste, both natural and sweet. It's not half bad.

As I walk back across the sand to the mouth of the horn, I hear laughter from inside. I dash across the sand, curious.

I hear, "Yeah. She's not much of a help." Leif's voice.

"Why is she still around? We don't need her." That was Wonder.

"Why not? She got two kills in the Bloodbath. She's decent with a sword and handy with those throwing stars of hers." Meris.

My breath catches in my throat. They want to get rid of me!

I take a deep breath and step sideways into the Cornucopia.

"Hey guys, there's a bunch of cactus water in the one I cut down, so if you want, go fill up your bottles." My voice is calm and steely.

Wonder hands me the bottle he'd been fiddling with. "How about you go fill them up for us? After all, we are your protectors. It's the least you can do to repay us."  
I raise my eyebrows. "I do not _need_ "protecting", thank you very much. I'm eighteen and trained. I can take care of myself."

"Oooh." Meris mutters, and lets out a low whistle.

Leif looks back at me. "You know, just because you got two kills, more than the rest of us, doesn't mean you're better than us. You don't need to brag. Now go fill up the water bottles. Next time, I won't ask so nicely."

I take the bottles. "Yes, master, my everlasting lord. I bow to thee." I stride out of the Cornucopia before Leif can say anything and head over to the bags and weapons. I grab my throwing stars, a small vial, and a sword and swing a bag over my shoulder. I make sure the bag includes first aid and an extra knife as well as food and another water bottle. Then, I walk to the cactus I'd cut over earlier.

I get to said cactus and I begin to put my plan into action. _First, I need to hide their water._ I start to dig a small hole in the sand, just large enough to fill with the bottles. Once it's ready, I place them inside and throw the sand back over them.

Then, I run off into the desert. Part two of my plan is officially in order. Goodbye, boys.

 _Dyson Summers POV (District Eleven Male, age 15)_

I trudge through the desert, near to tears. I really appear tough on the outside, but I cry pretty easily. I miss my girlfriend, Isabella. I hope she's staying strong.

All I got from the Cornucopia is a small knife and a water bottle. I really tried for a bag, but there was so much chaos I was unable to get one. Luckily, I escaped pretty much unscathed. I did get a minor cut on my leg, but nothing serious.

I saw my District partner's face in the sky last night. I never knew her, but she's all I had of home, and it hurts to see that little anchor I had gone. Forever.

 _Great. Now I'm actually crying,_ I think as I wipe a tear from my eye. I plop down onto the sand and as I sit, I begin to weep. I bawl my eyes out for a while. It feels really good to just sit down and cry, let all my troubles and hardship flow out of my body in the form of salty, round tears. I cry for Isabella, I cry for my District partner, and I cry for myself.

Once my pity party ends, I stand up and keep walking. I make it about four hundred feet before I realize something. There's a random pond of water in the middle of the desert! This could be a huge breakthrough, especially since I just cried out a ton of water. I run towards the pond with newfound energy.

I reach the pond in about a minute of running, and bend over with my hands on my knees. _I made it._

As I grab the water bottle, I stand up. I unscrew the top of the bottle and right as I'm about to bend over to fill it up, _the pond disappears_.

"Are you kidding me?!" I yell. The Gamemakers are toying with me. They want me to die of thirst. I roll my eyes. "You know, some water sounds real good right now," I say, head tilted up toward the sun. In response, the ground falls out from beneath me. My head goes underwater and my heart leaps into my throat. I kick my legs in a frenzy. Where's up? Where's down?

 _Calm down, Dyson,_ I think. _You know how to do this._

I whip my head around, and when I spot the light, I kick as hard as possible towards it. Right as my lungs begin to burn, I surface. I gulp in the good, clean air. _Ahhh._

I'm treading water, and I begin to swim to the side of the pond. I swim for a couple seconds before I reach the edge of the pond and climb out.

I realize, then, that the dull throbbing in my leg that's been present for the last few days is gone. What was in that water? Looking down at my leg, I see a thin scar where the cut was. The blood is gone. The scab is gone. The pain is gone.

Healing water.

I immediately unscrew the cap of my water bottle, dunking it into the water. This is such a valuable resource. I can't lose it! The water flows into the bottle, and I stick my face into the pond. I don't care what anyone thinks of me, for I'll be dead in a week anyway. I begin gulping the water, and drink as much as I can hold. Now all I need is food.

And I know how to solve that.

I pull my head out of the water. This was so obvious all along! There are cacti! And where there's cacti, there's food and water! I whip my head around, spotting a cactus. As I sprint toward it, I pull my knife out of my pocket. How ironic- Mother always told me never to run with a knife. I slow down as I get to the cactus, and begin to carefully saw away at the fleshy green skin.

It takes a while, but the skin eventually breaks. I bend the cactus top back to reveal the meat inside. Cutting away at it, I stick the meat into my mouth. It's surprisingly good.

I eat my fill and lay down. I haven't slept in a while, and I'm pretty tired. I lay my head on the sand and fall into a deep sleep.

 **No deaths.**

 **Okay I know how late this is DON'T KILL ME PLEASE I HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF FANFICTION TO ATTEND TO :(((**

 **But really, I've had two gymnastics meets in the last two weeks and another one this weekend. I have practice, 3 hours, thrice a week. All this and school effectively sucks all my free time up… (and if anyone was wondering, I did pretty well. My teammate won. YAY ANNIKA)**

 **Anyway, enough about me. I was wondering something. If I were to write another fic, would you guys want a sequel to Articulosis, or a new SYOT entirely, or what? I'm getting close to ready to open for submissions, but I won't start the story until this one's over. I am planning this new one much better than I did Articulosis, so I'll have actual Reaping chapters and everything that I missed in this one. Hopefully I will be able to let you guys connect more with the characters. SO…**

 **Chapter Question: Do you want a sequel to Articulosis, or a new SYOT series?**

 **Also, not all the ponds are acidic, as you can see from Dyson's POV. :)**

 **Well, that's all I have to say. Have a great day, everyone!**

 _ **Bold means alive**_

 **Wonder  
** Julianna **  
Leif  
Meris**

 **Ashlynn  
Triode  
Fable**

Ali  
 **Lacie**

 **Ash**

Chris  
Ray

Angel

Caddis

 **Barley**

Wheatley

Cobalt

 **Benedikt**

 **Forest**

 **Kamata**

 **Dyson**

 **Jordan**

Rose

 **Gem**


	21. Chapter 21: Day 2, Part 2

_**TRIGGER WARNING: EXTREME VIOLENCE AND TORTURE IN LEIF'S POV. THIS CHAPTER REALLY PUSHES THE T RATING, PROCEED WITH CAUTION.**_

 _Jordan Clarke POV (District Five Male, age 16)_

Man, I wish I was back home. I know that probably sounds super selfish, but it's the truth. I finger the small fountain pen I'd brought from District Five, the one reminder of home I have. It's red, with a skinny nib and a gray finger-grip.

"I'm sorry, Dad," I say, aiming my face up to the sky and squinting. "I shouldn't have been so rude to you."

The unresponsive sky is little comfort to my heart. I look down, back at the pen. Pocketing the pen, I pick up the small bag I snatched at the Cornucopia after…

After I killed her.

I didn't even know her name. I found out her home District only during the Anthem last night. She was too young, forced to grow up early. I ended her life. I ended… _her_.

I feel a wet tear, fat and round, slide down my left cheek. It lands on my lip and I wipe it away. The poor girl. One would think it'd be easier to kill a stranger than someone you knew. I hope neither of those circumstances happen again. Unfortunately, I'm in the Hunger Games, and it's kill or be killed. I have no choice.

Another tear makes its way down my face, plopping onto my arm. I brush it away, standing up.

 _I have to be strong._

The girl's death is going to bog me down. I need to get over it. It sounds harsh, but it's the truth. I sling the bag over my shoulder, grabbing my knife. That's when I hear the voice.

It's a deep voice, one that radiates strength and power. A boy's voice, and I'm pretty sure I recognize it as the one of the boy from Seven. I turn, ready to kill if needed.

"Wait, Jordan!" says Benedikt Blackwood. "Do you- do you wanna be allies? I know you don't want to kill me. I don't want to kill you, either. I saw you at the Bloodbath. You're pretty handy with that knife."

I ponder this. _This could be my chance. I could steal his stuff while he's asleep, run away- Perfect._

"Sure. But how do I know if I can trust you?"

"I have an axe. If I wanted to kill you, I would have slammed it into your head while you were crying over there." he chuckles.

"True." I say, lowering my knife.

Benedikt points far into the distance. "I saw a small village over there. Wanna go check it out?"  
I nod. "Let's go, then."

We walk in silence for a bit, side-by-side. I start up a conversation about ten minutes into the walk.  
"So, do you want me to call you Benedikt or Ben or what?" I ask.

He looks at me. "Ben works, thanks. I'm supposing you want to go by Jordan?"

"Yeah, I do."

He nods. "Cool."

Ben points to the north. "The village. See it? It's just about a couple miles away. We should hurry. Maybe there'll be something there."

I nod. "Yeah. Good idea." And with that, I begin to jog toward the miniscule spot in the distance. Ben follows. I'm a pretty fast guy if I do say so myself, but Ben is keeping up pretty well. I begin to slow about a mile from the village.

"Maybe- _pant-_ we should _\- pant-_ slow down, you know, so _\- pant-_ we have _\- pant-_ stamina _\- pant-_ in case there's _\- pant-_ someone there."

Ben nods. "Kay."

We slow to a walk, and I pull out the water bottle from my bag. I take a sip and pass the bottle to Ben. As we approach the village, I can see that it's got several houses made of rickety boards, a small well, and- oh! A small bag located on the porch of one house! I take a bounding step toward the bag, and Ben does the same.

As we begin to jog, I hear a disturbing growl. I grab Ben's arm.

"Do you hear that?" I whisper.

"Yeah. What is it?"  
"I don't know." Even as these words escape my lips, I hear the sound growing louder and louder.

We're surrounded.

 _Benedikt "Ben" Blackwood POV (District Seven Male, age 17)_

 _Oh, -_.

Those are my thoughts as I turn away from Jordan and the village. I think I've heard stories about these… things, these monsters. They have rotting flesh a disturbing greenish-brown color, torn gray garments, and wisps of gray hair on the tops of their ugly heads.

Zombies.

"COME ON!" I cry over my shoulder to Jordan as I take a huge step into the desert. Jordan just stands there. I take a risk, and look over at my ally. He's not moving.

He stands there, knife in hand, looking right into the eyes of the zombies. I turn around, and direct my attention to Jordan.

"MOVE OVER!" I shout, shoving my ally behind me. I begin to fight. I swing my axe into the head of a zombie, and it falls. I dismember the head of another, shoving the axe into a third.

Then I feel a pain in my back. It's a sharp pain, one like that of a knife. The zombies don't have knives, though!

I turn around, and there stands Jordan, bloody knife in his hand. I fall to my knees. The pain… it burns...

"You jerk!" I cough.  
Jordan stumbles backwards. "I'm sorry, Ben, but only one can win." He walks to where I left my gear. Picking it up, he salutes me. Then he runs off.

"JORDAN, YOU -!" I yell. I begin to hack up blood. The pain in my back is terrible. "Kill me." I say. "Just kill me."

A zombie staggers up to me, groaning and moaning. It stops right in front of me, and bends down. I close my eyes and let the pain envelop me. The zombie rips into my flesh, tearing it off and stuffing it into its mouth. It burns…

 _Antonia, Harriet, I love you guys. I'm sorry._

 _BOOM._

 _Head Gamemaker Lucia Tilby of the Capitol_

"Seven's male is down. Call back the mutts." I say to the man in charge of the muttations, Justus. He nods and pulls a lever.

Agrippina calls me over. "See this?" she asks, pointing to a group of dots on the screen. Three pink dots, all in one area, all moving in the same direction. The Tiny Trio- the girls from 3, 4, and 10. "These girls have the book. This gives them a huge advantage over the rest of the field, which gives us a possibility of having a twelve- or thirteen-year-old Victor. Is the President all right with this, or shall I eliminate them?"

"I can ask, though I have a feeling the answer will be to eliminate them as soon as possible. Start brainstorming ways to kill off an alliance quickly." I say. Agrippina nods, and I hold up a hand to silence the Gamemaker lounge.

"I'm going to ask the President a question. Don't kill each other." I say. There is a collective _yes, ma'am_ and I nod.

I step out into the hall, walking towards the President's office. I knock on the door of the office, expecting an "enter". No answer comes, so I wait for a minute or so.

"Mr. President?" I ask, knocking again. This is usually the point I call Peacekeepers to make sure nothing terrible has happened to the President, but I figure I should just go in. After all, President Snow won't mind if my dilemma has to do with the Games, right?

I reach out to the knob of the door. Turning it, I walk into the room.

"Terribly sorry to interrupt, sir, but-"

President Snow is facedown on the table.  
 _Oh my god. What do I do?_

I walk around the desk, looking for any clues. The only thing I find is a wine stain, a big red blotch on the white tablecloth. I know what this means. The President was poisoned.

I pull out my communication device- a sleek silver radio imprinted with "HEAD GAMEMAKER" on the sides. "Gamemakers, come in."

The tinny reply comes a second later. "Gamemakers. Over."

"I need Julia to take over for an undetermined amount of time. The President's in trouble. No questions. You all will be informed at a later date. Over."

"Yes, ma'am. Over."

"Head Peacekeeper Decimus, come in. Over." I say urgently. It's a good thing I was trained on what to do in emergencies.

"This is Decimus. Over." is the reply.

"I need a Peacekeeping unit over here pronto. I think Mr. President's dead. Over."

"WHAT?"  
"You heard me, Decimus. Unit. Now."  
"Yes, ma'am. I will send my top forces. Over."

I sink down into a chair, head in my hands. _How could this happen?_

 _Leif Gemmite POV (District Two Male, age 18)_

Where is that girl? She left to get us water at least an hour ago and hasn't returned yet. I turn to Meris.  
"Where is Gem?"

"Heck if I know," he replies.

Wonder speaks up. "You know, I remember training with Gem. She was always a sore loser, and if anyone ever did anything she didn't like, she'd run off pouting. Makes me think she left us."

"It would make sense." I say. "She had free supplies out in that pile out there, so she easily could have stolen whatever she needed and set off. I'm in no position to fight her right now, with this hand, so we'd best stay here. We'll kill her when she comes running back to us with her tail between her legs."

The other boys nod.

 _BOOM._

Who was that? Probably the girl from Five, or one of the little kids. I'm honestly surprised any of them have made it this far.  
It seems that my allies had been thinking the same things when Meris speaks up. "Who do you guys think that was?"

"One of the Tiny Trio, or that girl from Five. I hope it wasn't the boy from Seven, though. We could recruit him." I say.

"True. He was pretty handy with that axe, if I remember right. An easy kill later on, too, and a good ally for a while." Wonder says.  
"My thoughts exactly." I go back to nursing my hand, the one that got melted nearly all the way off in that stupid acidic pond.

It's a while before anything interesting happens, at least an hour. We all sit there until Wonder's ears perk up.

"Did you guys hear that noise?"

"No," Meris and I chorus.

"I think there's someone nearby," he whispers.

I grab my sword and my circular blade- I've taken to calling it a blader- as Meris and Wonder pick up their weapons. We all stand up, trudging out of the Cornucopia. Wonder looks around, zoning in on one particular spot in the distance. It's a girl, the one from Seven. She's looking through our pile of weapons, picking at it and looking for something.

"Don't say anything," I whisper. I start the walk to the weapon pile, the others following behind me. Our shadows are being cast perfectly, aiming right toward the girl. I take the final step, so that my shadow goes into her field of vision. The girl looks up, fear in her eyes.

"Trying to take from us, are we?" I ask in a menacing, cruel voice. "Well, you know what we do with thieves, boys. Get her!"

Meris leaps forward, landing on top of the girl. She screams, a bloodcurdling sound that startles me. Meris wrestles with the girl, until he gets her pinned down. Wonder reaches into his pack, pulling out a rope.

He passes it to me, and I bind the girl's wrists together. I stuff a gag in her mouth, spitting in her face as I do so.

Meris leads her to a cactus, where we shove her into the prickly thorns. She screams in pain, but the gag muffles the sound. I tie her to the cactus.

"Where to start?" I say, pondering. Wonder raises his hand.

"May I suggest the nails?"  
I nod. "A good starting point." I walk to her, removing her shoes. I grab her largest toenail, and rip it off.

The girl screams again. Meris walks up next, and he bends down to rip off the second nail.

This goes on for a while. Rip, scream, laugh, repeat. Eventually, we run out of toes, and Meris suggests another torture method- teeth. I laugh, removing the gag. The girl begins to beg for release.

"One more word, and we'll make this ten times worse."

I reach into her mouth and grab hold of a tooth, yanking and removing it effectively. Wonder steps up next. He does the same. Meris, me, Wonder.

"May I do the honors?" Meris asks, once we're done.

"I think Wonder should. After all, he has only one kill, right?"

"I guess. Wonder?"

He steps forward and stabs the girl in her stomach. I laugh.

"That'll teach her not to play with the Career supplies."

 _BOOM._

 **Hey there! Remember me? Yeah, I know it's been forever. And that last POV, that was really hard to write. It hurt just to think about it!**

 **Anyway, I hope you all aren't too mad at me. I killed two kids off in this chapter. And the president! Aren't you so proud?!**

 **One more thing: I only got one review last chapter. Now, I know I'm a poop reviewer myself, but reviews really help my stamina and all when I'm writing. I understand finals season and exams and all are here, but reviews really help me. Thanks baes.**

 **Okay, now for the eulogies.**

 **15th Place: Benedikt "Ben" Blackwood, D7 Male: Eaten by zombie mutts.**

 **I really liked Ben, but I had literally no plan for him. I also think Ben had one of the lowest amounts of poll votes, so he was not really going to survive much longer. I really did enjoy his character and writing for him though. Thank you, TheGreenMockingjay, for Ben.**

 **14th Place: Forest Rivertree, D7 Female: stabbed by Wonder Marquise**

 **I also really liked Forest, and I know most of you all did too, but those of you who have SYOT's probably know those characters you have no ideas for development. So, I killed her off now to show the brutality of the Careers. I'm sorry I had to kill her off,** **XxLittleXxXMockingjayXx, and I hope you can forgive me.**

 **So, yeah. Chapter Question: Was Forest's death too brutal? Do I need to tone it down a bit?**

 **Thanks for reading, y'all… See you later!**

 ** _Update 3-24-16: I deleted a section of Leif's POV that really crossed the T-M border. I hope no one minds._**


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